


Written in the Stars

by StruckedByLightning



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Adventure, Baekhyun - Freeform, EXO - Freeform, Friendship, M/M, Magic, Medieval, Stardust AU, Timely, Xiumin - Freeform, powers, slow-romance, stardustau, xiubaek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 14:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 25,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6910966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StruckedByLightning/pseuds/StruckedByLightning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After two thousand years, a Star has finally fallen.</p><p> </p><p>Truth be told, a star rarely falls Earth. Nobody knows what becomes of them when they touch human soil that is why, all eyes turn to seek the star.But not all those who watch the streaking light in the sky are there to discover what happens to a star.</p><p>It caught the attention of such characters like an Evil Sorcerer who threatened to rule and conquer Kingdom-L, a Princess who was turned into stone, two soon to be crowned Princes, an Ethereal god and the most unlikely hero who never thought that in his simple life, would he go on a phenomenal adventure and face trials in order to save his Kingdom that led him to meet the most extraordinary person no one could ever imagine as if their destinies were written in the stars.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: The Boy and the Philosopher

                                                            
  
  
  
                                                   

 

 

                                                                                   

 

 

 

**T** **here once was a child who would always look up at the sky.**  

His eyes gleams with fascination whenever the sky would throw a huge blanket over the earth as if it would turn into this vast ocean of black waters. The young child would grab any opportunity to sneak out at night and visit the philosopher who would constantly sit on top of the rocks.

“Ah, so the young lad returns” the philosopher glowed amidst the moonlight that played with his pale skin, illuminating him ever more when he smiled at the child.

“Good evening!” the child greeted, settling himself beside the philosopher, his eyes growing wider adjusting to the moon’s brightness. “It’s a full moon tonight!”

“Indeed it is” the philosopher beamed at the wonderful image of the moon sitting quietly amidst the stars. “Did you know, if you listen closely enough, you can hear the moon talking to you?”

The child snorted at the absurdity of the philosopher. “The moon is not a person, how can it talk? It doesn’t even have a mouth!”

“Ah, it would seem so, but have you ever considered that maybe the moon is just a form of someone who used to be?”

“A form?”

“Do you ever wonder where the sun goes whenever the moon comes up?”

The child raised a quizzical brow.

The philosopher smiled, “Legend has it that the Sun and the Moon were brothers who would always play tag. The Moon never got tired and never stopped chasing his brother Sun. That is why we have morning and night. There are times though, that whenever it is morning, Moon would take form as a human and search the earth to find his brother and Sun during the night would hide from Moon. That is why in the morning, you could see the Moon in the sky with Sun because he will always be right behind him chasing him still, and why you can’t find sun during the night”

“So…do you mean the sun and moon can be…people? Like  _us_? Right now?” the child jumped to his feet excitement crawling from his stomach to his now flushed cheeks.

“Not only Sun and Moon, there’s more. There’s fire, water, wind, earth and many things you can't possibly imagine!”

“Wow!”

“They are called  **Ethereals** ” the philosopher sat up straight, enjoying the little boy's sparkling eyes “They all control the seasons, the days and they give balance to the world. But the real ethereals that you should know are the main gods Life and Death”

“Life and Death?” the child sat back down his eyes and ears more focused on listening to the tale.

“Life and Death is another set of brothers who gives and takes. Life gives us this” the philosopher inhaled deeply closing his eyes then exhales “He’s the one who gave us the reason why we’re born, why we’re walking, why we’re laughing, why we’re breathing and many more of the things you could think of and Death, well…he’s the one who takes all those gifts away”

“Death seems like a cruel ethereal” the child sounded a bit worried earning him an earnest chuckle.

“It’s the natural balance. Do you think our planet Exo Planet be able to sustain 300 billion people if Death wasn’t present?” the philosopher said “Could you imagine that mountain over there in three years time if there were no deaths, that mountain I assure you will be filled with houses and soon after, this rock we’re sitting on will be filled with houses as well. Imagine that many people and the ratio of our natural resources, do you think it will accommodate us all?”

The child shook his head.

“That is why they play their roles. There are other times though, that they stray away from their roles. Life and Death as the supreme ethereals would always tire from their day-to-day activities. Of course, with all the power they possessed, they would sometimes interfere with the lives of mortals – in this case us – and put on a wager. But Death enjoys them the most.

Their wagers consists of where they should rule, in the skies or in hell. There was one time, Life and Death wagered for their champions but the outcome turned out pretty bad when Death cheated in the process and sent everyone into chaos and war. You see, they wagered that their champion will win the heart of the princess. If Life would win there will peace and prosperity will flourish but if it ends with Death’s prince, then there would be war and Death would sit on the throne in the heavens and Life would rot in Hell.

Their champions you see were from two different kingdoms, as you now know as Kingdom K and Kingdom M. The two princes were to wed a woman from Kingdom L. Life made a bet on Kingdom M’s prince while Death betted on Kingdom K’s prince. They both wooed the princess but she fell for Life’s champion and Death wasn’t happy about it. So, he killed the prince and the princess wed Kingdom K’s prince.  

But Life discovered Death’s cheat and banished him to hell, and Life remained keeping a close eye for guidance on top of the clouds”

"That is an amazing story" the child ponders to himself for a while.

"Indeed, and one must hear about when learning about our mysterious and powerful friends"

“But what about the stars?” the child’s eyes twinkled in amazement but his eyes then turned to the sky and there he pointed up on the vast black ocean, “You mentioned everything except the stars”

“The stars?”

“Yes! If there is a Sun god, Moon god, Life, Death, Wind and whatever, then what does that make the Stars?”

The philosopher smiled “Well, as far as stars go, legend has it that they are observers of the sky”

“Observers?”

“Yes. You see, they have eyes! If you would wonder why they twinkle, it’s because they also have mouths! They twinkle because they communicate with each other. They watch how the Moon chased the Sun, he watched basically everything that happens in the universe. They are kind of more like an audience to the day-to-day activities of us humans. There are other stars too, sometimes they take shape of bears, and giant dippers and an archer!”

“I heard from my friend that the stars grant wishes”

“Perhaps they do!” the philosopher said “Sometimes in a world with so many people, the gods cannot come to accommodate them nor have any reason to deal with mortals’ problems. What are mortals to gods anyway except for amusement? The stars have their ways in intervening at times if they hear a prayer or a plea, they sometimes would answer. The sun is a star too you know, and if you wonder why he doesn’t grant wishes it’s because he’s too foolish to stop playing around with the moon and the other stars just shudder at the thought”

“If what you say is true, that the stars can see us…does that mean they can see me take a bath in the river naked!?” the child flushed at the thought of having billions of audiences during his private time.

“Possible” the philosopher cracked a chortle.

“Then seeing me naked…must mean why there were falling stars the other night” the child’s face then beamed, “What about falling stars? Why do they fall from the sky? Where do they go?”

“You mean shooting stars?”

“No, not shooting stars, falling stars! Uhm...well I think they are the same thing but…if they fall…where do they go?”

The philosopher shrugged his shoulders. “In all honesty, when a star falls I do not know where they go”

“If ever a star falls to the earth, will they take form of a human too?”

“I honestly do not know” the Philosopher smiles brightly.

The child then gave a short yawn stretching his arms up to the sky letting gravity pull him and landed his head on the philosopher’s lap.

“Wouldn’t it be amazing if you have a star for a friend?” the child murmured slowly dozing off to sleep. The philosopher laughed pulling the child to a tight embrace the moon singing silent lullabies to their heads.

“It certainly will be amazing”

 

 


	2. Chapter One: The Gypsy

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

**“Princess!”**

“Princess?”

“Princess Jessica!”

“Ethereals burn me, is she gone  _again_?” Kim Jongdae, captain of the Knights of Golden came rushing out of the citadel in his golden plated armor and long blood ruby cape draping behind trailing his every footsteps that stomped with fury. The princess of Kingdom L went missing  _again_. Before, it was a big deal whenever the princess goes missing, but now that it keeps on occurring, it only got the palace staff and the royal family stressed, moreover the Knights of Golden who were tasked to keep an eye on the beautiful Princess.

“Yes sir, the sparrow has flown off somewhere again” one of the knights came saluting their captain who rolled his eyes, huffing a frustrated sigh.

“That woman really, never learns. Ethereals preserve me” Jongdae brushed his shoulder by the knight who regained his balance after being thrown off.

“Sir, am I to sound the scouts to look for the missing princess?” that same knight popped from Jongdae’s side a little scared that he even suggested anything to the captain.

Jongdae didn’t turn around nor acknowledged the suggestion. He just bursts out of the cdoors revealing at least twenty guards in golden plates stiffening in their positions standing tall and straight, flanking at the presence of their captain saluting at him as he passed by one by one followed by lowering their bodies to bow in respect.

“Excuse me, er-ser captain?” the knight poked Jongdae who instantly turned around, his forehead creased and his eyes expressionless. The knight flinched blinking rapidly awaiting for his captain to answer his question.

“If you’re asking about the scouts, there’s no need” Jongdae replies, eyes still dead serious.

“No need?”

“I know where to find her”

 

* * *

 

 

There was trouble amidst in the castle once again the baker had noticed on his way home from the market where he bought a basket of flour – and made an unexpected stop by the gypsy in the market. He clutched his basket close to him thinking of any alibi he could tell his sister once he gets home rather than actually paying attention to the commotion. If she learns that he went to the gypsy again, she will kick his butt.

He didn’t want to be a baker, he has mentioned it to his sister before. He once travelled to the market place just to see the gypsy and ask her of his future, of what endless possbilites could behold him if he were to quit baking. He loved going back to the gypsy. She told him the most ridiculous tales of what his future might behold of him - he never believed any of them even a little bit but he was amused by the impossible ideas and stories the gypsy shared.

He also remembered talking to an old man once.  _The Philosopher_ he calls himself and the baker has never seen him since he was a curious little boy. He wondered where was the Philosopher who filled him with hopes and dreams?

He sometimes wondered if he could actually leave his life of being a baker and go on an adventure instead. His sister though, would not allow him to do it. She never found his curiosity towards moons taking shape of human forms helpful to their lives. That didn’t stop him from visiting the gypsy anyhow.

The baker returned his gaze to the castle where he could hear barking commands and the gate bridge opening. It was early in the morning and it was unusual for the Knights of Golden to be bustling about.

_Not unless._  The baker sighed heavily as he quickly solved the mystery of the commotion in the castle and he was not happy when he found out he was right once he flung open the doors in his small cottage to find his pregnant sister Sohee having a chat with their princess sitting across her on the table sharing a cup of tea.

“Xiumin-ssi!” the  _Princess_ was  _here._ Princess Jessica beamed at the sight of the baker, abruptly jumping to her feet ready to charge at him if it wasn’t for his hand that shot up halting her in her place.

“Don’t  _Xiumin-ssi_  me” the baker named Xiumin clicked his tongue. “What are you doing here Princess?”

“Would you stop calling me that?” Jessica crossed her arms a bit irritated and disappointed at Xiumin who made his way to the kitchen.

“Shouldn’t you be at the castle? Everyone is looking for you. I overheard some of the Knights of Golden barking orders everywhere on my way home” Xiumin said without turning his back to face them. “You know how wrong this is, sneaking out of the castle alone”

“I don’t care” Jessica spun around plopping herself down on the chair. “Is visiting my best friends part of a restriction in being a princess now too?”

“Jessica, you’re a  _princess_  and we’re... _commoners_ ” that end tasted a bit bitter rolling off in Xiumin’s tongue, but nevertheless he wanted it to sound like it that way just to emphasis the important boundary between their friendship.  

Jessica Jung was a Princess and soon one day, a Queen while he and his sister were nothing but commoners to live out their lives as commoners stuck in this kingdom. It wasn't that bad serving under the rule of Jessica, but the idea of remaining here as a baker until his last breath scared Xiumin.

What about the world out there, the world he once questioned that night when he talked to the Philosopher when he was a little boy. The Ethereals, everything? Will they all be discarded in the back of his mind forever?

What could his destiny be?

He noted to himself that he needed to see the gypsy again. Just one last time.

It was a long while before Xiumin noticed Jessica who frowned, the corners of her lips digging deeper into her face with tears threatening to come out of her eyes. “Don’t say that”

The pregnant Sohee who watched quietly shakes her head. Her hand instantly began stroking Jessica’s long curly auburn brown hair for comfort. She fumed at her little brother who began to take a handful of flour sprinkling it on the table - probably trying to distract himself than to meet her gaze.

“Min, what’s the matter with you?” Sohee demanded an answer. She glares at her brother intently until he locked eyes with her.

Xiumin shivers under her intense gaze, but held up an expressionless one. “Sneaking off like this will get her –  _us_  in trouble” was all he could reply.

“So what? Jessica  _always_  visits us. You’re treating this as something she hasn’t done before” Sohee was beyond perplexed. True enough the princess does love sneaking out from the castle and avoid her duties but that was before she has grown into this lovely young woman and Xiumin knows that she needs to grow out of it and face the inveitable of a person of her stature.

“Hee, Jessica needs to learn how to be a princess and she needs to know her  _place”_ he sighs, “She’s going to be Queen one day”

_'At least she knows her destiny'_  Xiumin frowned.

“Then what?” Jessica spoke up, her voice filled with exhaustion. “If I become Queen one day, I will not be able to see you guys again. I’ll be busy, I’ll be attending balls, councils and I will never have enough time to be with you guys” this time she broke down into more sobs her hair draping across the front of her face.

Sohee pulled Jessica close into her arms calming the girl down with soothing and comforting squeezes. Sohee then shot a glare at her little brother who exhaled deeply into a long exasperated sigh. Xiumin didn’t want it to end up like this and he thought it best if he apologized.

“Sica” Xiumin crouched in front of the crying princess poking her forearm gently. “Sica, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that I just-“ But the princess didn’t look up at him. “Sica. Sica please” he poked her this time harder “I’m sorry Sica, I’m sorry”

Jessica didn’t budge.

Xiumin heaved a sigh pouting to the side. “Fine. You can stay here as long as you like-“

Jessica didn't even let Xiumin finish as she pounced on him wrapping her delicate arms around his neck giving him a quick peck on the cheek. “Thanks Min!” her frown turned upside down into a wide smile showcasing her perfectly aligned white set of teeth. She jumped from a crouch running back to her seat from where he first saw her sitting by the table.

“So, where did we left off Hee?” Jessica beamed at Sohee who played along continuing to whatever story they had been exchanging before Xiumin had come home. The baker smiled, his lips forming a thin line shaking his head thinking how silly Jessica was and returned to the kitchen.

He watched his sister and their best friend snort and laugh in each progress of the story as if they were reliving the events that had happened. Xiumin, although didn’t join them quietly listened and he would silently chuckle to himself in every retort Jessica would make. The more he got interested in the story, the less he kneaded on the dough where his eyes started to look up from the kitchen table and rest on Jessica’s happy figure observing her intently.

The way she talked, the way she snorts making a sound like that of a pig, the way she was slouching on the chair not caring whether she had stains on her long silk dress and the messy curls that draped along her back, one would mistake her for an ordinary beauty in a village. If ever anyone crosses her path without knowing who she was, they would definitely would not take her as the Princess of Kingdom L. But that was just Xiumin’s opinion.

“And then Jongdae was furious when all his men were drunk unaware that the thief had already stolen mother’s crown!” Jessica threw her head back clutching her stomach with laughter bouncing off the wooden walls of the cottage. She had a good run of laughing for a few minutes until it subsided into a long sigh and the siblings knew exactly the reason. She downcasts her eyes puncturing the ground beneath her feet, a sad grin forming on the edge of her lips pondering on the thought of the Captain of the Knights of Golden “Jongdae refused to let the thief get out of sight. He chased the thief down by himself to retrieve the Queen’s crown and came back successful. He greeted me with an exasperated look and his face full of bruises. I was worried what could have happened to him, I didn’t wanted him to go after the thief but he insisted. He slipped the crown on my head and said that it was for his  _future queen_  and that it suits me very well”

With a long pause, Jessica went to sigh again.

“Then Jongdae left me without anymore words”

Sohee and Xiumin frowned. It had been a long time secret, since they were but young adolescents that they knew that Jessica was deeply in love with the dashing young knight.

Jessica and Jongdae practically grew up together in the castle. He was a squire to one of the noblemen. That’s how she met Kim Jongdae and as time flew she had grown to have feelings for him but as the squire grew up to be a knight, his duties became a hindrance to the ever possible relationship they could have had - or so Jessica dreamed, not until she had her own duties such as the law stating that she is required to marry a prince. To her the unfortunate truth, it nullified her chances being with him. Jessica would cry before she would sleep thinking how unfair being a princess was. She could only turn to her solace  _here, w_ ith her two best friends who understood the pain she was going through.

“I don’t want to get married to a prince” her eyes started to water, turning from Sohee to Xiumin as she fumbled with her fingers twisting and knotting them in hopes that it could help soothe the fear she felt in her stomach “I don’t want to be married to any prince, I don’t want to be Queen!”

“Sica” Sohee murmurs sweetly but the latter clung to Sohee’s forearms shaking her gently.

”Why can’t I marry Jongdae? Why must the royal decree demand for a princess to marry a prince?” her voice was heartbreaking to hear.

Xiumin had just finished molding the dough slipping it inside the oven trying to block out Jessica’s plea. He didn’t want to see nor hear her like this. It only churned and twisted his stomach. What could he do? He was only a commoner. These were the businesses of aristrocrats and nobles and Kings and Queens. What could a baker do to change her fate? All they could do now was to be there for her.

As if in cue, the prodding of the hooves of horses came from the outside. The three shot their heads up to the sound of clanking boots and armor approaching the small cottage and they knew exactly who that was. Jessica thinned her lips inhaling deeply to face the figure that had opened the door and merely his silhouette could be seen by the naked eye. Sohee drew her close wiping away the tears that had fallen from her cheeks. Xiumin on the other hand took out the freshly baked pastry the fragrance enveloped the whole cottage. Stepping into the light revealed the golden plate armor glimmering worn by Kim Jongdae. He stood there with great magnificence and his mere presence made their knees tremble mostly when they saw his stoic bland face.

“Jongdae!” Jessica tried to sound surprised and happy to see him only to be cut off when Jongdae raised a gloved hand completely silencing her. Jongdae’s brown eyes scanned the small, dusty room squinting at every angle of the kitchen. Jessica backed down retracting her footsteps back beside Sohee who grabbed her elbows pulling her close to her belly as the knight remained silent.

None of them made any noise nor did any of them moved. Xiumin watched the knight carefully, darting his eyes from his sister and the princess then back to him and wondered what would his next action be. Jessica trembled in front of Sohee, the latter squeezing her forearms comfortingly. What would Jongdae do next?

Jongdae finally stopped his eyes from roaming around and settled to stare at the princess. His eyes lingered on her for a moment before moving to Sohee and lastly landing to stare at the baker. Xiumin cocked a brow up once they interlocked gazes. Their stares intensified the longer they looked at each other. Xiumin’s lips tugged upward and he was the first one to break into laughter. Jongdae followed suit.

“Hey Chen! Nice to see you again” Xiumin moved away from the counter pulling Jongdae to an embrace patting his back hard in the process.

“Nice to see you too Xiumin” Jongdae returned the hug and smiled widely “Wow, it’s been years since I last heard that nickname! It’s better than hearing Captain, captain, captain all the time!” letting go of Xiumin, Jongdae spread his arms pulling Sohee next “Sohee I’m so glad to see you!”

“Chen, welcome!” Sohee giggled pressing a kiss on his cheek.

“Whoa, your stomach’s gotten big!” Jongdae’s eyes were filled with wonder brushing a gentle hand over Sohee’s baby bump.

Sohee patted her stomach blushing lightly, a huge smile never wore off her pink curved lips “Yes, the healers from the village tell me this little guy is due next week!”

“It’s been nine months already!?” Jongdae’s eyes twinkled in surprise. He turned his head to Xiumin who nodded agreeingly “You’re going to be an uncle!”

“The thought of buying presents for the child does haunt me at night” Xiumin rubbed the nape of his neck. Sohee raised an incredulous brow at her brother after his remark and he raised his hands apologetically “I didn’t mean anything by it! I’m just merely saying-“

“Oh hush” Sohee hissed and the whole room laughed.

Jongdae then turned to Jessica. His smile faltered as he stared into her dark brown eyes. She looked very breath-taking no matter what she wears, wherever she is and- Jongdae scowled, his eyebrows meeting at the center. He approached Jessica grabbing her by the forearms and shook her gently “Why do you keep on disappearing? Didn’t I tell you to let me know if you want to go out?”

Jessica scrunched her nose “Sorry! It slipped my mind”

Jongdae shook his head, a laughed whilst throwing his head back “C’mere you!” he pulled Jessica knuckling her head as she let out a giggle “Your family is going on an uproar again and I’m the one who holds responsible for your safety. I get heaps of trouble more than you, you know young lady!”

“So, now that you found Jessica are you going to go back to the castle?” Xiumin asked.

Jongdae was about to open his mouth when Jessica pulled his arm giving him a pleading pout. Jongdae rolled his eyes and shrugged, “I guess we could stay here for a couple of minutes. There can be a small delay before she can go talk to the King”

“Talk to father?” Jessica raised her brow in a bolt of confusion “Why does father want to see me? I’m not going to get scolded again am I?” she dragged her feet onto the stony cobble steps a bit frustrated at the thought of the king.

If Xiumin didn’t know any better, he’d thought that he saw Jongdae flicker a sign of pain in his eyes if others were oblivious enough to see it. Jongdae bit his lip “It’s not like that”

Jessica’s forehead creased “Then why does he want to see me?”

Without any words, just pure silent telepathy by the eyes, Jessica knew what the King intends to talk with her about. She whirled around taking grip on her hair pulling it tightly hoping that it could help her think. She paced around violently across the room hugging herself with wide eyes before she went back to look at Jongdae. The very figure that sent her heart beating, and the very one that made it slowly break into pieces.

“You’re kidding right?” she spat.

Jongdae exhaled deeply. He didn't know what to say.

“This isn’t happening, not  _now_!”

“What-what is she talking about?” Sohee stared at the two as Jessica began pounding Jongdae’s breastplate.

“I think you should go Jongdae” Xiumin stood beside Sohee who shot him another perplexed look.

Jongdae nodded at Xiumin agreeing to him completely. He took Jessica’s arms but she jerked him off.

“No! I will not allow it!” she screamed at Jongdae who clicked his tongue “I’m the princess! I forbid you to stop!”

“And I follow your the King's orders!” Jongdae got hold of her again this time, he carried her on his shoulders and marched out the wooden door. Jongdae motioned his fingers and three other men came to him all with shining gold plates.

“What are they doing? What is happening?” Sohee struggled her way out from her brother’s grasp and stood by the door “Jongdae- uh – Captain! What’s happening?”

Jongdae didn’t answer.

Sohee snapped her head back inside to look at Xiumin, expectant and searching “What is the meaning of this?”

“Let me go!” Jessica’s voice echoed through the cottage. The sound of horses and thundering hooves trotting went until it got weaker and silence took over the village once the Knights of Golden were out of sight. Xiumin placed a warm hand, squeezing his sister’s shoulder. Sohee looked at Xiumin hoping to find answers but he gave her none. Sohee didn’t know what just had happened and she hopes the princess would be okay.

“Min,” Sohee called softly at her brother’s side “Do you know any of this?”

Xiumin sighed heavily fondling with his fingers. He knew exactly what the King wanted to talk with Jessica and he had heard rumors from the market place and from that gypsy who told him of what lay ahead of his future – a waste of coin for his fortune, he thought. But the news for Jessica, he thought it was possible and she wouldn’t like it once she learns the news her father was going to bring.

 

* * *

 

 

The next day, Xiumin and Sohee made their way in the market place to buy for their dinner. After what had happened yesterday with Jessica, Xiumin thought best that her pregnant sister should grab some air and relax. That was the only thing he could do right now and – the only thing he can do when he learned that Sohee’s husband abandoned her and their child. Xiumin was furious about it, but he didn’t want to bring it up yet. Not now.

The future was truly something to be scared of isn’t it? You may never know what will happen next. For example, his sister and brother-in-law were very much in love last time he checked, but instantly in one blink of an eye, he was gone. Xiumin frowned to himself as he searched the caravans looking for any able ingredient he can for his baking.

At times in the market place he would catch a glimpse on a merchant’s daughter and think of settling down with someone like her. He was twenty-five years old after all and the thought of having a wife and children would sometimes pop inside his head and although he was still quite young, he could feel his arms aching with all the kneading. The merchant’s daughter battered her eyelashes and stared at Xiumin, a lovely smile crept onto her lips as she tended the apples and her cheeks began to stain a bright pink. Xiumin smiled back and threw his head to the side averting from her gaze and settled upon a new face that appeared in the village. A shepherd who sat on top of a rock by the edge of the market place smoking his pipe as he blew circles of smoke in the air.

_'He must have gone a long way',_ Xiumin commented in his thoughts watching the sheperd’s eyes drooping. He's heard tales from one shepherd he once came across with when he was young. The old man shared his adventures from travelling plains and mountains as wide as oceans, saving his flock from ravenous wolves that hunt in the night with his torch in hand and those stories never failed to make Xiumin’s eyes sparkle with great fascination. Xiumin envied the shepherd very much. To think the old man could go wherever he pleases, explore and discover new sights and behold new smells and meet new people. Xiumin would like that.

He turned his gaze back at the merchant’s daughter pondering of a life with her. Will they have sons and daughters? Will she make him supper? Tend to his throbbing head aches after a hard day's work? Will she listen to the stories he often wonders beofre going to bed?

Xiumin shook his head. He didn’t want to settle for a life in being a husband yet, no. He wanted to see the world, he wanted to know if the moon  _does_ talk to you at night, do mermaids really exist, see the circus, see a dragon, a witch and if possible…know where a shooting star goes when they fall from the sky.

He would do anything just to know these things and being stuck as a baker can't help him. Xiumin checked his surroundings looking for his sister and hoping to find an opportunity to slip away and go find the gypsy he was meaning to see again.

“Hear ye, hear ye!” a town crier stood on top of the platforms in the middle of the town square. Everyone from the kingdom had gathered, tip-toeing their way to see what the commotion was about. Sohee dragged Xiumin to listen as the town crier continued “From the Royal Castle, we bring incredible news!” he paused, “The whole village is to prepare for the arrival of two very special guests”

The whole village broke in whispers. 

“The King has declared, a ball!”

Everyone jumped and rejoiced upon hearing the news. Sohee and Xiumin gave each other a look before the town crier continued.

“The ball is in honor for our beloved Princess Jessica. The bakers, farmers and butchers are to prepare a feast for the castle, gardeners ready your flowers, tailors your finest fabric and silks please! We all need to prepare for the arrival of two very,  _very_  special guests” he paused for dramatics, “The Princes of Kingdom K and Kingdom M are coming to Kingdom L!”

“Princes!?” more whispers came from the villagers.

Xiumin wasn't at all shocked. Sohee guessed it right away as well.

“The Princess will choose between the two for her to wed! Before the ball takes place, a challenge will be given to the two princes for the princess to choose”

“Oh no, Jessica” Sohee uttered quietly and turned to Xiumin with a worried face. “What about Jongdae?”

He shrugged his shoulders, “I do not know”

“She must be crying right now! She must be-“

“Hey, hey, hey calm down Hee” Xiumin held her by the shoulders, stroking her cheek. “Jessica’s a tough girl, she can handle this”

Sohee glares at him. “She might be tough, but a girl’s heart is fragile”

Xiumin turned his eyes towards the merchant’s daughter again and frowned. Maybe he was right, he might not go and settle down with someone just yet. Not while he still wanted to go on an adventure. If a girl’s heart is fragile, surely she wouldn’t let him go and travel. He sighed.

Xiumin slid past beyond the market place down to a narrow path once Sohee was busy choosing between a green and red apple. The path was filled with rotting vegetables and the stinging stench of fishes enveloped the air. Puddles of mud were easily avoided but Xiumin couldn’t escape dipping his shoes into some in which he'd curse loud and wrathfully.

He reached a small colourful tent with hanging round beads that served to be a curtain doorway for it. Two women with their mouths covered with thick red cloths bowed recognizing the young baker and pulled the beads aside allowing him to enter with their permission. Xiumin thanked them with a nod and made his way inside where he was greeted by the gypsy woman covered in various cloths that covered her body and head. Her nose had three piercings and her fingers were filled with different rings all clad in gold and rubies. She smiled at Xiumin - like a visit from an old friend - and offered him a seat. Xiumin crossed his legs and hopped down in front of the table just across the gypsy.

He noted that the table was still the same: its mantle was violet, the deck of cards she used to tell his horoscope was still piled next to the incense and the bowl of ashes and the most notable was the crystal ball in the middle. A fine bloody con artist’s props Xiumin thought.

“You've returned as I have predicted” the gypsy woman purred covering her thick lips with a cloth.

“You didn’t predict it,” Xiumin jeers at her, “You told me to come back”

The gypsy cuts Xiumin off by standing up and wiggling her hands in the air. “I sense something from you, something is bothering you!”

The baker snorted and lets her keep on going. It was really fun watching her act like this.

The gypsy woman’s eyes opened and pointed at him. “You want to learn about your fortune!”

Xiumin rolls his eyes.

She pulled out a dice from her pockets shaking it in her closed fists then after, she threw it on her table. “Your lucky number is seven”

“Okay, can we-can we just skip to the part where you hover your hands on top of the crystal ball?” the impatient Xiumin deadpanned the gypsy who smiled at him.

“Of course” the gypsy sat down once more and held the crystal ball. She cleared her throat oblivious to Xiumin’s irritation “So, what do you want to know Mr. Baker?”

Although he doesn’t trust the gypsy’s “abilities”, found it good to hear what others might think of his ridiculous dreams. Sohee would never understand him, the sheperds he meets never remembers him, Jongdae and Jessica never entertained the idea, the Philosopher was nowhere to be found and he was left with the gypsy to talk with everyday about dreams and  _Ethereals_.

He inhaled his breath, clasping his hands together and propped his elbows onto the table. “I don’t know what I want to be, I’m a baker but I want to also be an adventurer”

“What hinders you from being an adventurer?”

“Duty, responsibility” he shrugs his shoulders. “My sister she’s…she’s expecting a baby soon and the father kind of abandoned her. I was left to take care of my sister of course, it’s my duty as a brother after all. I need to work my butt off and earn money to feed my sister and when the baby comes, I would also have to work double as well. I even thought to myself one day maybe I will never be able to have an adventure, maybe my destiny is to be a baker and take care of my sister forever”

“And you think this is a bad thing?”

Xiumin blinked hard. An offensive question yet somehow, half-true. “No! It’s not a bad thing it’s just-“ he sighed heavily and rubbed the nape of his neck “I don’t know what my  _destiny_   _is_  to be honest. If my destiny is to be like  _this_  forever I don’t think I will accept that. Am I really just someone who will make bread for the rest of his life?” he went to look back at the gypsy “I feel insignificant to the world you know? It’s like I’m just this small speck in the universe”

The gypsy chuckles “Ah, so you want to make a name for yourself, glory is it?”

“No, not glory” Xiumin shook his head, “I just…”

The gypsy stared into the crystal ball murmuring words out of the common tongue. Xiumin focused on the gypsy’s eyes that rolled back until only the thing that can be seen were the whites of her eyeballs. Her eyes then rolled after a moment and she panted heavily. Xiumin was taken aback almost trembling in his seat.

“What do you see?” he whispers, himself was still in the state of shock.

There was a moment of silence before-

“Achoo!” the gypsy sneezed so hard that she tumbled back. “I’m sorry, I just needed to let that out”

Xiumin’s shoulders dropped in extreme disbelief. He stood up flailing his hands in the air, “Alright. I’m done. I. Am. Done” he turned around to stomp his way out until the gypsy called out to him.

“Wait, wait wait!” she reached out, he fingers extending as if she wanted to pull him back. “I had a  _vision_!”

“Yeah right”

“You!” she exclaims, staring back into the crystal ball and lets her hand glide over as if she could see something Xiumin couldn't. “The princess will be married”

Xiumin rolled his eyes. The gypsy must have heard the town crier’s loud voice. Predictable really.

“You will see a raven” the gypsy continued. Xiumin didn’t turn to look at her but waited for her to finish. “You will be succumbed into water, mermaid...the circus...trouble will be chasing you! I see you running away from flames and you will meet a beautiful woman one day and she will bring you a lot of pain”

“A wife?” Xiumin laughed but the gypsy ignored him and by that sentence alone made him whirl around and face her.

“A bright light streaming in the sky” she said and Xiumin watched her with intensity, searching her eyes for answers as the many questions popped in his head “Light and Dark will envelop the Kingdom, a danger will come”

“Danger?” Xiumin began to scan his memory. Could the light and dark be the princes of Kingdom K and M? Kingdom K’s sigil were all in Black while Kingdom M’s were White. Could the princes bring harm to Jessica? He noted to himself that he better warn Jongdae about it.

The gypsy nodded, “And the danger will come when the sky shoots a light”

_Shoots a light?_

“A falling star?” Xiumin narrows his eyes hoping the gypsy could flash a ' _yes'_ even by merely interlocking gazes. She didn't even bother to shrug.

“That is all for today” she stood up and pushed the baker away, “I have told you your fortune now off you go!”

“Wait! It doesn’t make any sense!”

“Dreams don’t make any sense either, now go!”

“Wait!”

Xiumin was pushed out of the vicinity of the gypsies and was sent back to the market place before he could bark out more questions and protests. Finally finding her brother, Sohee slapped his arm in anger that he left her alone carrying all the things they bought. Xiumin took hold of the basket without taking his eyes off from the narrow path to the gypsy’s tent where he wondered about the remarkable fortune she just gave and the fear in her eyes...

Could those "visions" be something just to entertain him? To say that his money was worth it? Was the con artist gypsy happy that she got her money and was now swimming with his hard earned coin filled with dreams?

All Xiumin knew to do now was to take care of his sister and bring her back home to prepare the feast for the Princess’ ball.

 

 

 


	3. Chapter Two: The Princes

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

**Xiumin** **sat quietly in his bakery tending to customers.** There were those who usually look through the glass and drool over his pastries, but he didn't care. His focus was turned to the long list in his hands He drummed his fingers on the counter reading the list of pastries and cakes needed to be delivered to the castle on the day of the ball. It was two days from now and the whole village went in a panic. Meat shops have just began chopping pork and beef, farmers have picked their fruits and vegetables, their bakery began to create at least one hundred cupcakes, men and women rushed to tailoring shops to have their suits and dresses made.

He never did like dancing or going to special occasions that involve the castle. Although he was fascinated with the idea of Kings, Queens, Nobles and Knights coming from all over the continent, he preferred spending his day reading about far off places, daring swordfights, pirates and everything he never gets to see in an average day - or he'll never actually be able to witness.

Oh how he wished he could go on an adventure and discover if  _Ethereals_ do exist. Instead, he’s stuck here reading a long, long list of pastries needed to be delivered for the coming of Kingdom K and Kingdom M’s Princes.

“Cupcakes done sir, cream puffs next?” one of his employees wiped their hands on a rag as he walked beside Xiumin’s table.

“Yup, we have to prepare fifty cream puffs and the King expects it to be delivered tomorrow morning” Xiumin rubbed the nape of his neck that seemed to weigh a thousand bricks upon seeing the endless demands of the royal palace for pastries. The employee who was as tired as Xiumin bowed formally and went back to the kitchen where Xiumin heard him shout orders. He sighed heavily twisting the pencil on his fingers all bored in his seat.

_'I can run off now and go back to the gypsy and ask her about the bright light in the sky'_  Xiumin thought to himself flipping the pencil into one finger to the next. ' _Was she lying about it? Was she just robbing me off of my money? But she’s so believable'._

“Someone’s deep in thought” came Sohee’s voice that bolted Xiumin straight in his seat. “I brought you porridge”

“What are you doing here Hee?”

“I had our clothes made from the Tailors” Sohee raised her chin up knowing too well her little brother doesn't approve. She placed the bag of porridge on Xiumin’s desk.

“You shouldn’t have wasted your money on me, you know I don’t like going to events like this one” Xiumin took the bag and grabbed a bowl from one of the cupboards to pour the porridge in. “Besides, I heard the bookstore has got new deliveries from Andalasia”

Sohee rolled her eyes. "Min, you should really stop day dreaming about your books and  _Ethereals_  and enjoy  _normal_  things. I bet in the ball, that’s where you’ll start to meet your one true love and then, you can have a family of your own!”

“I’m not day dreaming Hee, and go to the ball? I swear, when we get there I'll just sit around and do nothing but watch people dance around the center” he took a sip on his spoon and swallowed, “I’m just…not cut out for things like that. I want to be free and travel and experience a great adventure!”

“Xiumin, I know you want to find your destiny but I think your destiny will start when you go to the ball and have fun”

“My destiny is in the ball? You're kidding me right? Nothing in the ball will give me a direction to what I want”

“Just...give it a go please? Stop sticking your nose in your books and those shepherd’s tales. If you keep on reading and day dreaming  _nothing_  will happen to you, not until you act and do something” Sohee sighs heavily seeing Xiumin ignoring her every word. She glides across the room towards the door and bites her lower lip. “I’ll be going home now, goodbye baby brother”

Xiumin raised his hand acknowledging her leave. He gave her a weak smile before she turned around and left. He dabbed his spoon on his bowl, he didn’t want to attend the ball but he couldn’t waste Sohee’s effort in having his suit done as well. He loved his sister dearly and he will do anything to make her happy and protect her. He felt guilty about it too for all of the things he has done to her like: going to the gypsy when she forbids him to.

Finally making up his mind, he trudged his way to the kitchen saying a farewell to his employees and went off to the tailoring shop where he asked for his suit to double check his measurements.

“It’s such a rare sight to see you here Xiumin” the tailor with the most ridiculous pointed mustache commented circling the measuring tape on Xiumin’s waist. “You’ve gotten fat”

“Don’t rub it in” he glared at the tailor who merely chuckled.

“Sorry, I just can’t help but be surprised that you’re  **actually**  going to attend the ball! I thought you’re just going to stick your nose into one of your books” the tailor then slipped the measuring tape onto his forearms measuring the length of it. “What made you change your mind to attend?”

“You know how persuasive my sister is” Xiumin huffed while the tailor circled him once more for final measurements.

“Indeed, that woman really knows how to talk her way to everything!” he bobbed his head. “Say, speaking of a woman, I heard from the townsfolk that they see you slipping in into the gypsy’s tent every now and then”

A cat caught Xiumin’s throat – if it were true. He raised a suspicious brow and asked gingerly, “What about it?”

“Everyone just finds it weird that you seek that woman. Are you sure you can trust such a woman?”

“Why can't I?”

The tailor shrugged. “That woman does nothing but cause trouble and rob you off of your money. They’re con artists! That’s what they do Xiumin-ssi, you of all people should know”

“But what if you’re wrong? What if…she does know” Xiumin recalled the gypsy mentioning his future, the shooting light in the sky, the mermaids, the circus, everything that felt so believable, but, maybe the tailor was right. She’s a gypsy, and gypsies, palm readers and tale weavers are nothing but con artists who make money out of the art of Divination. But still…Xiumin could never find it in his heart to doubt her, not after the ridiculous display she pulled yesterday.

“Thanks” Xiumin jumped down the stool and grabbed his satchel once the tailor had finished his final measurements. He flipped a coin to the tailor and left the shop. After that short talk with the tailor, he had become wary of his surroundings. He checked every person passing by in the village streets, all cautious that maybe one of them would follow his gaze. He didn’t want to attract trouble from villagers. He never did like people giving him any attention. He was just an ordinary commoner; a baker.

The knowledge of people talking about him and the gypsy made him a little interested on why they were so curious though. Xiumin was never such an eye-catcher too.

The baker ran past the market place once more diving inside the narrow road to the gypsy’s tent. His heart raced in his chest as he began preparing questions in his mind about the “fortune” she saw about his destiny. Xiumin felt excited and scared at the same time that they were both washed away when he saw the two women who usually guard the tent picking up their belongings. Xiumin titled his head in confusion.

“What’s going on here?” he approached one of the women who didn’t stop to look at him. They continued on with carrying the silks and bags in their hands and merely gestured for Xiumin to go inside the tent with their permission and he did.

Xiumin pushed the bead curtains aside and slithered his way to find the gypsy woman slipping her crystal ball in her long dress and shuffled her deck of cards into a treasure box. She became aware of Xiumin’s presence for she shot him a hand to halt in his place and remain silent for a while. She rushed to the other side of the tent and whisked all of her jewelry shoving it inside a crate while the baker waited with great anticipation. When she was done with her jewels, she turned to him.

“What’s going on?” he asked.

“I have told you your fortune and if you are really a wise man that the people from the market claim you to be, then you must be rid of this place!” her voice trembled that her hands shook when she spoke.

“You mean the shooting star? The raven? The Mermaids? A Woman?”

“Light and Dark! Light and Dark!” she flailed her hands frantically in the air making Xiumin take a step back as she circled her tent grabbing every bit of her belongings.

“Whoa, whoa lady. Light and Dark? You mean the Princes?” Xiumin trailed behind her, not letting her out of his sight until he gets answers.

“If I were you, I’d get out of here  _now_  before the ball happens!”

“Will you stop talking like that and tell it to me straightforward?” Xiumin pulled her shoulders twisting her to face him, “I’m sorry, but you’re getting me all confused. What is going to _happen_ that’s making the three of you palm readers wack?”

The gypsy’s mouth was covered with a thick cloth, but Xiumin can see it in her eyes the huge fear she has seen in her vision. She shook her head violently as her whole body began to tremble and all she could whisper to him was: “Kyungsoo”

“A Kyung-what?” Xiumin narrowed his eyes all perplexed. “What the hell is a Kyungsoo?”

“You must go friend, you must go before the Light and Dark comes!”

The gypsy woman scrambled to her feet once the two guards women whisked off the whole tent blankets from above their heads. They quickly folded the tent and stuffed it neatly into another huge treasure box. The women threw their belongings inside a yellow wooden carriage being pulled by two horses and quickly jumped inside. The gypsy woman ran in front of the carriage and commandeered the horses.

“Wait!” Xiumin ran to her. “What is this Kyungsoo you’re talking about?”

A commotion as if in cue resounded across from the market place. The sound of trumpets, hooves and people cheering came cdistracting the baker and the gypsy took this opportunity to command the horses to run. Xiumin tried to run after them but it was too late. The gypsy’s carriage left him nothing but the ground’s dust to eat. He coughed and coughed as he watched the carriage disappear in his line of sight in the market place. She was gone.

_'Darn it! Ethereals burn me!'_  Xiumin clenched his fists. He didn't get any answers from that blasted gypsy but, she mentioned one thing. What could be this  _Kyungsoo_ she was talking about? And what could this Light and Dark be that she was so afraid of?

Light could resemble Kingdom M’s colors since they carry the color white in ther flag and the Dark, the black sigil was with Kingdom K’s colors. Will there be a war? Will one of the princes wage war against the other kingdom?

“They’re here! They’re here!” one of the women around the market place shouted as she picked up the ends of her dress and ran up the dirt road where everyone was standing and waving.

“I thought they were coming tomorrow? It’s too soon!” a farmer followed the said woman and tiptoed away to see what was beyond the road.

Xiumin, with his normal born of curiosity, ran up to the growing crowd to see for himself what was the commotion all about where he managed to slip through a couple of people who jumped in glee.

There, he caught his breath at the sight of white shining plated armors riding horses with velvet violet capes that flowed in the wind. A sigil of stag horns on a white flag was raised on a pole carried by one of the horse riders. Knights, servants and squires came with all different shapes and sizes flanking each other behind one rider who led the pack. The rider's face was covered with a humungous helmet, a long soft violet feathered plume on top danced in the wind's whistle. No doubt he was Kingdom M’s Prince. He had a firm and strong stature, his body was stiff and his posture elegant. This man, was bred into finesse and strength to represent their kingdom.

“What are they doing here?” Xiumin whispered to himself completely lost in his thoughts. He noted that he should watch out for the Prince of Kingdom M and warn Jongdae or Jessica about the gypsy’s vision.

When Kingdom M's riders became a blur in their range of vision, Xiumin ran back to his cottage and told Sohee all about it. Sohee listened to him carefully and smiled.

“You seem so interested! I’m happy you chose to go to the ball”

“Because the gypsy told me-“ Xiumin was cut off when Sohee rolled her eyes.

“You went to the gypsy  _again_?” she scoffed. “You’re going to the ball because she says so? Come on Min”

“She told me that Kingdom L is going to be in danger!”

“What, barbarians are going to swoop down in Kingdom L? You can’t be serious Min! She’s a  _gypsy_  and they do nothing but rob you off of your money!”

“That’s what the tailor said too” Xiumin mumbles more to himself when he scratched the back of his head completely irritated. 

“Then the more you shouldn’t believe her! Only children believe in such tales, and you, Xiumin, are  _not_ a  _child_ ” she sighed and fondled with her baby bump. “When the baby comes, I don’t want you to influence him and fill his head with dreams and myths that'll only make him lose his mind, and you Min, you’re getting close to that”

Xiumin felt hurt when Sohee said it. Out of all the people, his sister should believe him. They always go to the Philosopher when they were kids, but Sohee was never fond of the Philosopher's stories. She was not a dreamer like him who found magic fascinating. Xiumin wouldn't blame her though, Magic has been gone for over two thousand years. Sometimes, people even think that the legends were actually myths and thrives in minds like dreamers like him.

Maybe that’s his problem, like a bird with wings that can't fly. All he can do is watch the skies and dream to himself. Does this mean, he’ll just be a baker forever?

Well, that’s how life works anyway, he thought. You can’t get everything that you want.

Xiumin sat by the window sill where he could see the towering castle and sighed. “I just hope Jessica’s alright”

 

* * *

 

 

At least fifteen knocks on Jessica’s door took place before she could jump out of her bed. Jessica, the princess of Kingdom L heard news from her trusted servants that twenty people clad in the armor of white and violet has entered the castle walls. She was not thrilled about it. She walks over to open the door with an unamused face.

Jongdae clears his throat and started, “Jessica, your father wishes to-“

“No!” she slams the door in front of Jongdae’s face.

Jongdae sighed and pounded on the door with his gloved hand once more. “Princess, the  _King_ wishes to seek your presence. The Prince of Kingdom M has come to-“

“No!” she shrieks from behind the door.

“Princess” 

“Go away” it was more than a hoarse whisper that had Jongdae stiffening in his place.

_'This woman really is getting in my nerves! Ethereals boil me'_ Jongdae pounds that could have broken down the wooden door if he pounded much harder. “Princess, I swear to the Sun and Moon that if you don’t come out now, we’ll break down the door!”

“Go ahead! Break it down, for all I care!”

Jongdae pinched the bridge of his nose sighing heavily. On the other side of the door, Jessica had her back pressed on the wooden door. She felt tears threatening to stream down her cheeks. She didn’t want to go and meet the Prince of Kingdom M, she didn’t want to push through with the ball, she didn’t want anyone else besides the man behind the door separating them. But here he was, Jongdae, following orders from her father, forcing her to marry someone she doesn't love when clearly the Captain knows how she feels about him.

So why doesn’t he consider her feelings?

“Jessica” came a faint whisper that snapped her ears to press onto the wood. Was that...sadness in his tone? “I know you don’t want to do this but…think of your duty as a princess. You’re doing this for  _your_  kingdom, for  _your_  people, for the future”

Jessica’s heart clenched. She hated that word.  _Duty._

Was it her fault to be born a princess?

_“Duty means doing the things your heart may well regret”_  that’s what Jongdae told her before when she was forbidden to go outside of the castle without any escort when she had come of age.

She hated it. She hated  _everything_.

 

* * *

 

 

“Ah, now there’s my lovely young daughter” said the King who wore an elegant gold tunic and a humungous crimson cape that draped all over the floor. Jessica faked a smile when her father reached out for her hand. He was very pleased to see her daughter wearing a blood ruby dress matching the Queen beside him. One might mistake them as sisters if they don't look closely enough.

Jongdae flanked to the side in his station with the other Knights of Golden who watched keenly on the new visitors who had been waiting patiently ever since they arrived. 

“Welcome, Kingdom M to Kingdom L. We didn’t quite expect you to be arriving  _this_ early. We thought you were coming tomorrow as stated in the letter” the King says, arching his eyebrows towards the Prince at the center..

Jessica swallowed hard when the said prince took a step and bowed formally with grace. He motioned his hand with a snap and one of the squires came rushing to him. The prince took off his helmet revealing a very handsome young man in his early twenties. His hair was a dark glossy brown swooped up into curl, his smile made his cheeks bones pop and crinkles his small nose when he does so. His complexion was smooth and white, glowing even. He truly was as the rumors say a face carved by angels, but the most notable from his features was his round and bright eyes that twinkled with elegance – such as the reputation of Kingdom M.

“I apologize Your Majesty, we were taught to be punctual and not to keep our hosts especially a _King,_ waiting" The Prince bows apologetically, scooping his arms as he did with such gace and finesse. "I still do apologize for coming in too soon for we might hassle your preparations” the prince leans back to stand in his a perfect straight posture and darts his eyes over Jessica. “But your Kingdom truly is beautiful! I wish to have a vacation here once in a while and bask in it’s fruitful glory”

_'Flattery'_ Jessica rolls her eyes.

"Charmed" the King smiles, the corner of his eyes wrinkles with age. "Make yourself at home, do have fun with your stay. In fact, I’m really impressed. Such values from your Kingdom is astounding indeed”

_'Of course, Father bought the flattery'_  Jessica shook her head.

The Prince noticed Jessica’s disapproving eyes and keeps that handsome smile on his lips. “Is something wrong My Lady?”

Jessica stiffened when he took notice of her. She glanced at Jongdae first before she faked a smile once more, “Oh, it’s just that I didn’t catch your name my prince”

“Oh, my sincere apologies, how rude of me” the prince's eyes twinkles like stars, “I am Prince Luhan of Kingdom M. It is an honor to finally meet you Princess Jessica and dare I say the words that reached my ears are true. You _are_ a sight to behold. Beautiful and radiant”

Everyone in the court knows that Prince Luhan was merely complimenting her, but she could also tell he was playing  _the game_  in winning her favour for her hand in marriage. Being trained to be have a witty tongue is a skill. So, she must stay pleasant and all the more polite.

She smiled and made a courtesy. Even if the thought of Prince Luhan can be her future husband was killing her inside.

 

* * *

 

 

Somewhere far beyond the reach and forgotten by humans, a pair of dark black hole eyes watched relentlessly on his Crystal Ball that was the only source of light in his bleak and pitch black surrounding. His eyes twinkled amidst the glowing Crystal Ball. He slid his hands around the smooth glass surface and with a twisted a wolfish smile. He tapped it and a green smoke swirled inside the crystal ball. Faster and faster it spun around until it began to form images of the King’s room where Princess Jessica and Prince Luhan shared a bow of respect to each other.

“Well, well it seems that the other prince has finally arrived the Kingdom” he tapped the crystal ball and inside whirled another smoke turning it into another scene where his eyes sparkled with great interest. At least twenty men riding black horses with riders garbed in black armors with plumes and capes of blue marched towards the Kingdom of L’s village. “And what do we have here? The Prince of Kingdom K has finally come at last as well!” he clawed on the crystal ball with a nightmarish chuckle. “Splendid!”

A strange ticking noise echoed across the dark void he lay dormant in that caught his attention. He twirled his fingers and lit the candles circling abov him. The glow of the light illuminated the stones in his ceiling that seemed to form a constellation calendar. He raised his fists in all splendour with a secret agenda all to himself.

“The time has come at last!”

 

* * *

 

 

“Look Mama! There’s another one of them!” a young boy called out that grabbed Xiumin’s attention once more.

“They’ve arrived a day early! The whole town’s not even ready!” a man added, almost toppling over the woodpile he was working on.

Xiumin and Sohee got out of their little cottage to find the growing crowd lined up along the long dirt road. Xiumin carefully pulled Sohee to a higher ground where they can perfectly see what was happening beyond the villagers. Sohee was aghast at the sight of Kingdom K’s knights and horses that trotted along with such ferocity. 

“That’s odd, where’s the Prince of Kingdom K?” Sohee motioned to Xiumin as he climbed on a pole to look for the said Prince.

He searched for a larger and more elegant plume that could determine he was the Prince but it was interrupted when Xiumin found a little boy running towards the horses. Everybody was too engrossed in drowning their eyes with passing Knights by that they didn’t even see the child run to a dangerous path. Xiumin shook his head in disbelief but nevertheless jumped from the pole, swiftly running to rescue the child from harm’s way.

Xiumin leapt and hauled the boy in his arms, rolling over his back as he tumbled into one of the Knight’s horses. The horse went wild and out of control startled at Xiumin’s sudden appearance. The rider seemed displeased hen he shot him a warning stare.

“Watch where you’re going!” the rider roared at Xiumin who bowed apologetically as he held the boy close to him.

“My apologies ser Knight” he said no more and remained in a low bow.

“Ser Taemin, that’s enough” a rich and cultured voice came and a new horse trotted towards Xiumin. The man motions his chin forward, silently commanding the knight to go on ahead with the rest to the castle.

The baker stared at the mocha skinned man with the strong jawline and messy tousled dark raven hair. He was a handsome young man garbed in wearing a regular tunic and pants with strapped boots. Xiumin thought he might be a squire, but, a squire who commanded a knight to shoo away?

The squire extends a hand to pull Xiumin up, a gorgeous smile shot up from his closed lips. “Here”

Xiumin without hesitation, took his hand and stood up. “Thank you”

“No problem” he nodded and patted the young boy on the head. “Be careful next time okay?”

“Sorry” the boy bowed at Xiumin and then to the man.

“Thank you again” Xiumin bowed once more.

“Anytime” the man nodded as one of the knights called him over. The squire raised his hand and smiles. “Come on Ace, we better go” he flicked the straps of his horse and with no delay, they began trotting back to flank in line with the other horses.

Xiumin quickly ran back to the crowd of villagers who eyed him with gratefulness for saving the poor young boy and went back to Sohee. “I think I found the Prince” he whispered to Sohee who shot a perplexed brow at him, “He’s disguised as a squire”

Sohee went back to look at the marching knights, “Are you sure he’s not just a handsome young squire?”

“Well, if he was  _just_  a squire, then the Ser Knight shouldn’t have listened to him when he shooed him away” Xiumin smirked triumphantly at himself as the marching Knights became a blur in the distance. He noted he must watch over that Prince as well.

_Light and Dark_   _huh?_ Xiumin inhales deeply.

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter Three: The Ball

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**One more day to go**   **and the village was restless.** With the early arrival of the two kingdoms, the whole village went in a massive panic. Early in the morning where the sky breaks in between a light ocean blue and a mixture of soft mustard yellow, you could already hear people shouting, people running and the fragrance of sweet pastries being made. Children were already out playing with dogs and cats, mothers ran to fetch milk and servants from the castle came to investigate along with the Grand Duke. The Ball was tomorrow, and everything must be perfect.

Xiumin was in his bakery, the usual. They were three cakes away from finishing their last task for the castle and the employees were in need of a shut eye. Sohee came to help them in her spare time and everyone were grateful whenever she hands out her homemade porridge.

He pushed one cake in the oven before peeking over the window sill to observe the status of the busy village streets. He laughed at some who would trip, shout orders and pull a cow in tow at moments just trying to relax himself, but he just couldn’t bring himself to. There was something missing, something very off about today.

_'Ah, that’s right. The gypsy woman’s not here anymore'_ he could feel himself frown with that mere thought. Not until the gypsy was gone that he realized that visiting her tent was one of the only things left for him to clear his mind out - or even come close into having some entertainment. Now that she was gone, Xiumin felt empty.

_Light and Dark._

_Shooting Light in the Sky._

_Kyungsoo._

Xiumin clicked his tongue. ' _What the heck is a Kyungsoo?'._ Was it an animal? A kind of poisonous food? A carrot? He turned around to ask his sister, “Sohee noona, do you know what a Kyungsoo is?”

“A Kyung-what?” Sohee blinked twice. She looked at Xiumin as if he was the craziest person in the world.

“Kyungsoo” he repeated. “Kyung-soo”

Sohee squinted her eyes and shrugged her shoulders. “I have no idea what that is”

_'Ethereals bite me'_ Xiumin crossed his arms. ' _What the heck is a Kyungsoo?'_

Whatever it was, Xiumin needed to go and warn Jongdae about it. Out of all the people, Jongdae always listened to Xiumin no matter how crazy he gets.

“Hear ye, hear ye!” a town crier appeared with a couple of Knights of Golden with him who stood guard with their horses by his side. Xiumin and Sohee went outside and joined the crowd who gathered to listen to the royal message and to Xiumin’s relief, Jongdae was there with them.

“I bring word from the castle!” the town crier started after clearing his throat, “Due to the arrival of the Princes of Kingdom K and Kingdom M, the King has decreed an event tonight. A shooting game will be held tomorrow morning at the Town Square!” everyone cheered at the mention of it as the town crier continued, “Later this afternoon in between sunset to nightfall, the Prince of Kingdom K and M will come to the fields to practice their archery skills, a test to win our beloved princess' hand. Villagers may watch, but must not interrupt. That is all!”

The crowd all whispered happily to each other, women swooned at the mention of the Princes, they have never seen their faces and to witness them later was an opportunity of a life time, but that wasn’t in Xiumin’s interests. He had eyes upon the Captain og the Knights who ordered his men to return to the castle.

When he found a gap in the crowd, Xiumin swiftly made his way to hide behind haystacks and followed like a shadow beside the Knights. He needed to talk to Jongdae privately, nobody should know of their familiarity with each other. Xiumin picked up a small rock and threw it to hit Jongdae’s armored forearms that went  _pang!_  The moment it got in contact.

Jongdae became alert. Abruptly his hands made its way to the hilt of his sword. His wary eyes went to search for his surroundings for any possible attacks.

“Psst! Chen!” Xiumin called quietly.

“Xiumin?” Jongdae whispered back his eyes still searching, “Xiumin where are you?”

A portion of hay was kicked out from the stack and Jongdae immediately meandered his horse towards it. He checked his surroundings from any eyes prying over before he leaned close. “What is it?”

“I have to warn you about something, a great danger is coming to the ball!” Xiumin edged closer for Jongdae to hear.

“Danger?” Jongdae’s forehead creased, “What do you mean?”

“I went to the gypsy the other day and she told me something about Light and Dark”

“You mean Morning and Night?”

“No! That’s not it!”

“Sun and Moon?”

“No! Still no!”

“Then what is it? You know how bad I am with guessing games!”

Xiumin ran his hands over his cheeks. How was he going to explain such a thing that even he himself wasn't sure of? “She said something about her vision containing a shooting light in the sky, mermaids, a circus, Light and Dark and a woman”

“A woman?” Jongdae snorted.

“Yes, a woman, that will bring me pain one day”

“You mean a  _wife_?”

“That’s what I thought too but it’s not a wife” Xiumin might've laugh, instead he sighed. He snapped his fingers, “Do you know anything about a Kyungsoo?”

“A Kyung-what?” Jongdae raised his brows.

“You don’t know what a Kyungsoo is?” the baker grimaces.

“Uhh…no?”

One of the Knights noticed Jongdae talking to the hay stack and he swore each minute that passes, he was leaning closer as if being sucked inside. He found it weird seeing his Captain talking to no one. A little bit creeped out, he called for him “Captain?”

Jongdae sat straight up and smiled awkwardly at the Knight who turned pale. “I’m just…feeding my horse!”

The Knight raised a brow before motioning his horse to trudge back to the castle, not wanting to witness something weird Jongdae suspects in which let out a relieved sigh turning back to Xiumin. “I think I better go Min, there’s still a lot of things to prepare for Jessica’s…” he paused, a little dejected as he cleared his throat " _Marriage_ ”

Xiumin remained silent behind the hay stack. Jongdae likes Jessica, he and his sister can sense it. He can see it in the way he scolds her, the way he protects her and the way he looks at her when the princess was busy pouting. He won’t admit it though and Jongdae suffers from it for he was bound to his duties as a Knight and accpeted that he will never have the chance to tell her how he  _truly_  felt. 

The baker popped out of the hay stack once the captain trotted away back to the castle. His whole body itched but he didn’t care. His warning didn’t do any good, not even his best friend believed him. Maybe the gypsy's vision was rubbish and she was really robbing him off of his money?

Xiumin looked up to the sky. Wondering, worrying, calculating and doubtful.

_A shooting light._

_'Have I truly gone mad to believe such a gypsy?'_ Xiumin balled up his fists, ' _But she warned me to go, to run away from Kingdom L as soon as possible before the ball comes. Why, what could it be?'_

He stood there in silence for a long time blocking out the villagers who passed by from his senses as he contemplated about the gypsy’s vision.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

A sea of dark waters covered the blue sky in an instant it became night. The stars popped out shining in its silent glory, in these usual times, people would enjoy the view of looking at the constellations and the twinkling lights in the vast dark ocean, but all of the villagers’ attention were solely gaping at the fields where the said Princes were knocking their arrows in place practicing for the shooting games to be held the next day.

Prince Luhan as he introduced himself earlier when trotting with his horse on the way to the field, wore a silver archer’s garment with matching violet boots and gloves - even his quiver was that of the color violet only a tad shade darker. Prince Luhan pulled the bowstring far enough to get enough force to reach the target and –

“He missed” Xiumin sat on a boulder munching on the raisin bread he grabbed from his bakery. Beside him sat another hooded figure only this time, the hood was a dark brown tattered cotton that slung in front, enough to cover the wearer’s face but also enough for her to be able to see and serves to hide her identity. She wore a tunic and a pair of pantaloons she stole from one of the kitchen maids as she had done this so many times.

“I hope all of them does” Princess Jessica hugged her knees close to her chest seeing Luhan try to knock another arrow in place.

“What will you do if Jongdae suddenly comes up to the shooting rink and shoots an arrow for you?” Xiumin teased earning him a punch on the shoulder.

“Not funny!” but nevertheless Jessica giggled, pulling her hood down to hide warming cheeks.

Xiumin watched her with knowing eyes. “You’re blushing aren’t you?”

“Shut up”

In triumph, Xiumin laughed as he took a large bite on the raisin bread as his reward. The twosome watched as the Prince of Kingdom M kept on a series of missing the target followed by their endless laughing at his embarrassing failure. Jessica would make comments about being impressed that Luhan managed to keep calm after getting humiliated with over – 10, 20 or was it 50 misses? If that prince caused a lot of mistakes, could the other prince have the same fate?

Their eyes traveled over to the other side of the field where the Knights in black he saw yesterday stood and surprisingly, the Prince was there, only, he wasn’t wearing light armor. He was wearing their heavy armors. Xiumin found it ridiculous. Can he actually shoot an arrow with all that weight?

“He missed too” a yawn broke out from his lips. He was slowly, slowly getting bored with the “show”.

Jessica sighes. “At least with their poor performance, father might have second thoughts. He wants a Prince that can handle both short and long range weapons for the  _betterment_ ofuniting the Kingdom” she shook her head. “I can shoot the targets easily, how the heck can they miss a short twenty five feet distance?”

“You call  _that_  short?” Xiumin choked, “Well, I guess you can say that. You  _are_ Jessica the Greatest Archer of Kingdom L”

“The most underrated one too” she reclined on the boulder letting her back press to lie down and watch the stars. Her eyes travelled from one star to the other, smiling as they winked at her. “You know, watching blinking lights stuck in one place is  _way_ more entertaining than those stupid princes”

“Don’t say that” a new voice got Xiumin and Jessica bolt straight up in both surprise and terror, whipping their heads to the newcomer.

Another hooded figure stood just a few cautious distance from Xiumin and Jessica. His face was barely visible due to the mask that covered his mouth and only his hazelnut brown eyes that flickered from the light of the torches beside them was notable. His cape was a dark ashen color that faded midway through the ends - due to running or so Xiumin deduced.

“Who are you?” Jessica thickened her voice hoping this was not some spy her father sent to go looking for her. She pulled her shirt to cover her mouth and inch by inch she edged closer to Xiumin intertwining her wings with him.

The hooded figure squints his eyes, maybe from smiling or could be from smirking, they couldn’t tell. He took off the gloves from his hands and whisked the hood back from his head revealing the dark raven hair from the squire from yesterday. Xiumin held back the gasp.

Now familiar to whom they were talking to, Xiumin stood up and bowed formally. Jessica shot him a bewildered look as her eyes snapped to him and then back to the hooded figure. The hooded figure then pulled he mask down revealing a familiar face to both of them. Jessica’s eyes widened in shock.

“You-“ she gasped almost knocking Xiumin off his feet when she stood up.

“It’s me” the young handsome man smiled shyly tucking his gloves and mask away.

“What are you doing here? Shouldn’t you be with your Prince?” Xiumin snaps his head to Jessica. Was the Princess oblivious to who he was? “A squire shouldn’t be here, not with his Prince is in the field”

So Jessica still thinks this man, this prince was a squire? Xiumin raised his head to see what the young man’s reaction would be. He merely blinked, maybe out of astonishment that Jessica was clueless to who he was, but nevertheless he seemed happy not being recognized too. Xiumin could see that the young  _Prince_ was going to play the  _Squire_ card in this one.

“Ah” the young man’s wide smile shot up, fully amused with Jessica's obliviousness. “The  _Prince_ has a lot of squires, I doubt he’ll even notice one squire to be missing”

_'He changed his tone and diction'_ Xiumin noted.  _Clever Prince._

“I see” she bit her lower lip before she came to realize something that had just hit her. She glanced at Xiumin then back at the young man with a silent plead. “Don’t tell  _anyone_  that I’m here, please?”

“As long as you don’t tell my Prince about me, I won’t tell your King. You have my word mi’lady” his face lights up brightly with a smile, drawing a criss-corss over his heart as a promise. Jessica was taken aback and Xiumin swore he saw a blush creep onto her cheeks.

She gestures her hand to sit with them and scooted over to let him fill the space beside her. Jessica sat in between the two men, hopefully Xiumin’s presence could help her keep calm. Xiumin was trying to look away wishing that the young prince wouldn’t come to notice who he was-

“Oh, I remember you!”

Too late.

Xiumin didn’t want to look, but in his peripheral vision he could see Jessica and the young Prince looking at him. Giving up, he placed an innocent expression as he faced the Prince.

“You’re that guy who saved that little boy’s life yesterday!” the handsome smile he was holding grew wider.

_'Crap, he remembers me'_  Xiumin began to sweat, ' _I already know who you are, but…I don’t think I should reveal it right now'_

“Oh yes, that is me correct” Xiumin waved the nervousness in his voice pretending it was just the cold breeze blowing through.

“You two met?” Jessica asked.

“Yes, he saved a little boy from being trampled over by the Prince’s Knights’ horse” the pretending squire nodded.

Jessica stared at Xiumin in awe, “You did that Min?”

“He’s a hero” the young prince said. He paused for a while and watched as Jessica began teasing Xiumin non-stop. The smile wavered a ittle from his face. “Is he your boyfriend?”

“What? No!” they spat in unison that got the young prince sliding away in his seat shooting his hands up as he did so.

“I just thought since-“

“No, no, she doesn’t have  _anyone_ right now” Xiumin abruptly closed his lips when Jessica shot him a glare. He knows Jessica didn’t want to look too available since she already was in love with Jongdae. 

Jessica rolled her eyes and pressed her knees tighter to her chest. Xiumin and the prince remained quiet darting their eyes to watch the two archers miss their targets again and again.

“Look at them, practicing for  _my_ hand in marriage. What am I, some prize to be won?” Jessica made silent curses making Xiumin and the young prince’s ears twitch.

The two young men exchanged a look before the young prince cocked his head to the side daring to ask, “Does it bother you this much?”

Xiumin’s throat dried up. If Jessica answers something rude and was still unaware who this person was, she might break and or anger the young prince. Xiumin just hoped that Jessica would say something nice for a change or would simply ignore him and just focus on the shooters.

“I don’t want to get married” was all she said.

The young prince nodded. “Ah”

Xiumin didn't know whether to be relieved that Jessica intended the tone of her voice as a conversation ender. He knew too well she never really wanted to dwell much on the topic. But a glint in her eyes from the flickering embers of the fire said something else.

“I’m sorry if I offended you and your Prince, but…” she downcasts to the ground while she heaved out a heavy sigh. “I’m just…” she paused and closed her eyes, “Tis scary you know? When you think about ruling a Kingdom one day? You have all the duties and responsibilities shoved to you because you were  _born_ a royal and these responsibilities have been imprinted to you ever since you were born. It’s like…it’s your destiny”

_Destiny_. Xiumin stared up into the skies, watching the stars wink back at him as he listened to Jessica's exhausted voice.

“Imagine all the pressure I have. The pressures of ruling a kingdom, to be wed to someone you don’t even love? I mean, look at this, two princes are competing for my hand and I barely even know them. To find a husband and bear his heir? What kind of responsibility is that?” Jessica shook her head. "Am I not free to do something I love, or _to_ love?"

Silence coated them, so thick you could slice it with a knife. The three of them stared into the horizon, looking at nothing in particular. The atmosphere too grew heavy, Xiumin felt, knowing that the two heirs of the royal family could relate to such a burden he will never understand.

“You sound just like my Prince” the young man spoke softly. Jessica’s head shot up at the unexpected comment and Xiumin, well, he was curious on what the prince has to say. Will he…reveal himself?

“Your Prince feels the same way?” Jessica searched his eyes that stared right back at her. He’s gorgeous for a squire, Jessica thought.

“Yeah, all the time” the young man grinned. “You see, the day he received a letter from your King, he became so afraid about the idea of uniting a Kingdom and marry a Princess he barely even knows. The Prince would rant to us, his servants and squires about going to push through with this because, what was he to gain? A wife he barely even knows? To handle two Kingdoms when he clearly can't handle his own? No, that wasn’t something the Prince wanted”

“Who would?” Jessica shifted on her seat a little comfortable knowing that someone understands her. “But why does he still torment himself in practicing for the shooting game? Why not just give up?”

The young man’s eyes glinted with a strange spark that Xiumin found spine chilling. Something in him changed for a second, like one snap of a finger, the prince became enthralled with her.

“When the Prince arrived” the young man continued gingerly, his voice barely even a whisper. “When he laid eyes on you, he somewhat uhm…became…” the young prince stammers a little, "...he found it suitable to fight for your hand in…marriage” he finished awkwardly.

Jessica’s smile disappeared. “Suitable?”

Xiumin slapped his face literally and mentally.

“What kind of epiphany was that? I thought this Prince was different! I thought he was going to surrender because he didn’t want to marry someone he doesn’t know and the thought of ruling a kingdom scared him? I’d say he’s stupid and worthless” Jessica huffed and went back to watch the archers.

Xiumin face palmed, he didn’t want to see any of this right now. It placed him in an awkward position to be right there to witness it all. Poor, poor Prince of Kingdom K. It was a pain to be here and the baker wanted to jump off a cliff if he has to hear more of Jessica's mindless insults.

A nervous shifting resounded in Xiumin’s ears as the young Prince tried to clear his throat and speak once more. “He’s worthless?” 

“He is”

_Ouch_. Xiumin wanted to be punched right now and be unconscious than to be sitting here and listen to them.

“Sorry” he whispers back. Xiumin froze.

“What?” Jessica whips her head to the young prince, pinching her eyes.

_'Is he going to tell her who he is now!?'_ Xiumin bit his nails, the agony of being a silent audience was slowly eating him up inside.

“I’m sorry for…my Prince’s...” the young man gave them a weak smile. “He’s trying his best in anyway possible he can to get to know you better, Princess”

Jessica blinked twice, still clueless to what was happening.

“I just hope you find it in your heart to see that he’s not worthless, I tell you he’s…” the young man found it hard to utter the words he was saying. Xiumin felt sorry for the guy really, Jessica was just…not cut out for things like this.

Xiumin fondled with his fingers. He needed to break the ice, and instill good vibes once more. He chose to digress from the topic and worry more for the prince's growing feelings for Jessica.

_'The gypsy!'_ Xiumin shouted in his thoughts, ' _Light and Dark'._

_Kyungsoo_.

“Sorry to interrupt but I want to ask you lovely people” Xiumin started that got their attention, “Do you people happen to know what a…” ' _I need to ask this for two reasons, one: to keep the awkwardness out, two: maybe royalty knows what a Kyungsoo is'._

“Know what?” Jessica was the one who broke the prolonging pause.

“Do you know what a  _Kyungsoo_ is?” Xiumin pressed his lips together shut.

“A Kyung-what?” they both said in unison. Their eyebrows met at the center, their lips twisted in confusion.

“Nevermind” Xiumin sighed. ' _I guess Kyungsoo is not a word. Maybe it’s some mumbo-jumbo the gypsy made. But still…there’s just something wrong about that name. I could feel it in my guts'._

Everything went silent for a while until-

“Look!” a man shouted from afar that snapped their attention to the direction where the man from the field was pointing. His arms was outstretched, his finger pointed upwards, to where could he be pointing? Xiumin, Jessica and the young Prince all shot their heads up to look at the sky where in that instant, their eyes grew wide in fascination, their jaws dropped in complete awe and their hearts skipped fast at the sight of what they called a rare phenomenon.

_A shooting star!_ Xiumin was aghast.

The night sky had never been this beautiful. Amidst the darkness of it all, it lit the sky like morning, a bright point of white ball of light moving rapidly, streaming across leaving a white streak that looked almost like a tail of an eel that swims in the vast night ocean. On the sides that enveloped the ball it produced glitters of gold, silver, blue, red, green all of the colors you could ever possibly think of. Everyone who watched it with all amazement could swore a little piece of magic rained down upon them and happiness was spread throughout.

“It’s so beautiful!” a woman said.

“It’s a blessing!” a man added.

_'A blessing?'_ Xiumin’s mind processed as flashes of images of the gypsy warning him about the coming of the shooting star was a sign for him to leave before the ball comes. Everything will go wrong starting with the shooting light in the sky, that's what she said that had her eyes bulging in fear and that name: _Kyungsoo_. It haunted his thoughts for a long time. What the heck is a Kyungsoo? 

Somehow, right now, it didn’t matter to Xiumin. He was just completely taken aback witnessing the shooting star with his eyes.

_“Wouldn’t it be amazing to have a star for a friend?”_ Xiumin smiled to himself remembering the days when he visited the Philosopher once last time.

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“My lady” a low raspy voice spoke amidst the macabre hollow trees. He crawled quietly to approach a hideously magnificent and intricate throne made out of dried up dead trees and branches. Possibly, done out of magic for the trees were contorted and bent that not even the best carpenters and woodsman could replicate. A tree trunk at the far left edge had frozen water gush out from it that stroke the floor but turned into a smooth glass surface in the middle of the room separating the throne and where the owner of the voice stood.

“My lady” he called out once more and this time, thin slender fingers tapped the throne with sharp long crimson red nails each going in succession in creating a beat. She was garbed in an all-black long gown. Her face wasn’t visible in the light, but one could say she was of beauty with the way she moved and hummed.

“What is it my dear?” her soft twisted voice echoed in his ears, almost a killer’s melody.

“It is as foretold,” the voice started slowly “A star” he paused “has finally fallen”

The tapping of fingers were immediately substituted with a hard pound of her nails that dug deep through the thick wooden throne, her nails scraped the wood carving it unconsciously with the excitement that took over her body. She clawed the throne and let out a sultry and silky maniacal laugh, one would mistake her for a Queen if possible.

She stood up strutting her way with hips that swayed with the bounce of her hair. Ahe turned her face away from the visitor and walked over to the humungous glass on the floor in front of her. She knelt down and with the touch of her fingers, the glass shattered, melting into droplets of water until it all mixed and formed a clear white pond. The water from the tree trunk began flow water back to life. She tapped her finger on the pond once more creating ripples that transformed into images, like a mirror in the water showcasing the streaking bright light that ran in the sky.

“Finally”

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

The baker has never seen a shooting star before. He had heard tales from the Philosopher that the last star that fell on the planet was over two thousand years ago, and he couldn’t help but consider himself lucky to be able to catch the rare sighting of one, despite the warnings the gypsy mentioned.

Up until now though, he wondered:  _Where do shooting stars go?_

“That was beautiful” Jessica breathed out, a swirl of exhilaration washed over her.

“So are you your highness” said the young man. Jessica’s face flustered, her heart panged in her ears as she could not quite comprehend and fell speechless when she turned to the young prince. He stood up, slipped his gloves back, covered his mouth and whisked his hood to cover his head. “If the princess may permit me, may I go back to my Prince?” he nodded at Xiumin then to Jessica, “Good evening my lady”

The young Prince took his cloak and swung it to the side. He ran, leapt through rocks, and jumped down from boulders. Jessica stood up and tried to run after to catch a glimpse of him but, he was gone.

“Who was that?” Jessica was out of breath.

Xiumin just remained silent. He didn’t want to spoil the young man’s disguise. It would be better if Jessica would find out tomorrow, he thought. It wasn’t in his place to do such a thing anyway.

“Princess? Princess?” came Jongdae’s voice. Jessica’s heart leapt and her smile returned. She spun around to look at Xiumin.

“It’s Jongdae” she giggled.

“Say ‘hi’ to him for me” Xiumin rolled over his belly. Jessica pulled her shirt up covering her mouth and before she went down, she ran up to Xiumin and gave him a tight embrace. Xiumin was stunned in his place, he didn’t know what was happening at the moment but he did feel his shirt get stained with water – from her tears he supposed. Xiumin wrapped his arms around Jessica once more hushing comforting words to her ears. “Goodluck tomorrow, you can do this”

“I wish someone could just stab me to death right now” Jessica sighed into Xiumin’s chest.

"Be careful what you wish for Sica, the stars are listening" Xiumin points up and earned a laugh from Jessica. "In fact, Jongdae will be very upset if you get hurt”

“Stop teasing me Min,”

They leaned away from each other as Xiumin patted her head. “I’m not”

Jessica blinked hard. She inhaled deeply and nodded. “Well, see you tomorrow in my death bed”

“Advanced condolences then!” Xiumin chuckled.

Once Jessica hopped down, she ran to Jongdae who immediately hid her inside the carriage. Xiumin watched Jessica go until she was gone from his line of sight. He crept back to the boulder where he witnessed the shooting star. He didn’t know how long it took him to fall asleep, but he knows it was an eternity for he was bombarded with mind boggling words that he haunted him even in his dreams.

_Light and Dark._

_Shooting Star._

_Raven._

_Circus._

_Mermaid._

_Fire._

_Woman._

_Kyungsoo._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

“Xiumin hurry it up! We’re going to be late for the ball!” Sohee was garbed in her beautiful orange dress and her hair was pulled back into a bun with white ribbons tied as she strolled all over the small cottage’s living room. She slipped in her slippers, powdered her nose and sprayed perfume all over her neck, “Hurry up slowpoke! The Lees are waiting for us! We’re sharing a carriage you know!”

The sound of footsteps coming down the stairs made Sohee run. She was excited to see how well the suit she had made for Xiumin would fit. She made sure that the suit was red, to symbolize the secondary color of Kingdom L. Oh, how she envisioned her baby brother to look so handsome! And when Xiumin came down, her breath was taken away.

“It feels weird. Is it normal to feel like I'm choking?” Xiumin wriggled his arms. He looked at his polished shoes, his buttoned up shirt, the red blazer suit, the dark brown pants and his blue necktie. "Hee, I'm itchy"

“Oh stop it, you look perfect" Sohee’s smile was unwavering and the giggles erupted out from her were non-stop. She bites her lip and says, "Now, turn around"

“Hee” Xiumin whines as he started to scratch his neck.

“Turn. A-round”

He had no other choice, Sohee was a scary woman. Nobody wanted to go to her bad side, so he did what her sister bade him to do. He spun around slowly for her to take a good look at him.

“Done?” Xiumin spreads his arms out.

“Not yet” Sohee took her brush and began tugging Xiumin’s hair back. Xiumin yelped at each yank of the brush as Sohee made sure his hair was neatly tucked and brushed up.

“Stop it! This look is embarrassing!” the baker slapped a hand over his ridiculously shiny forehead.

“It’s not my fault you have a big forehead!” Sohee finished the final touch by wetting his hair, patting it into place. “There! All new and handsome Kim Xiumin!” She took out a mirror from her purse. 

Xiumin squints, taking a better look at himself. He always had his hair down, and never did he like showing his forehead too. And to see his hair brushed up into spikes made him ill. “I look stupid”

“You always do” she poked his nose. “Come on. We’re going to be late!”

The trip to the carriage was something you'd never classify as peaceful. The Lee family was noisy, their four year old kid keeps screaming in the heavens like some dying horse, the parents were puffing perfumes everywhere that almost choked Xiumin a couple of times. Sohee was the only one who found a relaxing time during the whole trip.

Could this be the  _bad thing_  the gypsy foresaw? To die miserably in the carriage with her sister as the mermaid, the child as the circus, the mother as the woman who brought him pain? 

So much for his fortune.

Xiumin arrived in the castle – barely alive, at least he smelled good – staggering his way out of the carriage. Some of the escorts came rushing to Sohee’s side and helped her up the stairs while Xiumin dragged and persuaded himself not to run away. He didn’t want to come to the ball, he didn’t want to dance, he didn’t want to socialize, all he wanted was to read books.

_'Darn this outfit. Too hard to move on without trying to rip it to shreds!'_ He cursed at how fit the blazer was.

The castle was extraordinary, the castle was gold from the ceiling to the tiled floors. There was a red carpet laid out that lead to the ballroom where guests relished in strutting their expensive gowns acting like they were the Kings and Queens of the castle. Golden chandeliers lit by candles hung high above their heads. The ceiling had surreal and intricate paintings of angels and clouds that were made by a very hard-working artist. There were paintings on each wall of the royal family, dating from previous rulers from who knows when, but the most notable was the current royal family’s family portrait that was hung beside the humungous white doors that were opened for visitors.

Xiumin looked around, being cautious. Although this was a party, danger may lurk by the shadows. He has not forgotten about the gypsy’s warnings and he needed to stay vigilant if he wants to keep sister from harm.

“Lady Prescilla of Umbershire” a man’s voice echoed with crystal clear diction, an announcer who stood just on the other side of the doors.

Sohee dragged Xiumin to enter the ballroom. “Come, come! I bet if they announce your name, Jessica and Jongdae will be so surprised!”

“I don’t think that’s necessary Hee!” Xiumin blushed. He didn’t want his name to be blurted out for the world to know.

They reached the entrance of the ballroom, a balcony that overlooked the dance floor with two staircases on each side. Sohee pulled Xiumin to stand up straight as she whispered to the announcer their names.

Xiumin wished someone could shoot an arrow at him now, he'd be very much be thankful about it. But then again, it seemed like Jessica needed it more. He spots Jessica standing in the far end of the ballroom where the King and Queen’s thrones were situated. The royal family sat and watched with glee to see all the people who gathered for their Princess’ special day. She on the other hand, looked a tad bored. She didn't hide the obvious frustration from her face publicizing the fact that she didn’t want to be here. She had a permanent frown on her face which was unfortunate for Jessica was wearing a gorgeous long champagne coloured pearl-beaded gown molded into her torso perfectly, its fabric flowed in every move Jessica made with elegance. Her hair was tied up into a neat wavy ponytail clipped with white flowers that brought out her eyes. She was bewitching in it, but her frowning face didn’t quite complement the dress.

“Lady Kim Sohee and Sir Kim Xiumin” the announcer harked and Xiumin was hit by a rock.

He saw Jessica snap her head at them up at the balcony, the frustrated frown disappearing as a teasing smile washed over it. She tried her best by repressing her laughter and gripped her hands tight. Xiumin rolled his eyes as he and Sohee parted ways in taking each staircase to go down to. He thought that only Jessica – or Jongdae wherever he is – would be the ones to look at him when they announced their names, but no, there were at least ten people who stared at him with astonishment. He could’ve sworn he heard them whisper to each other too.

“Wow, he came” one said, practically overwhelmed and speechless at Xiumin's presence.

“Such a rare sight” another added.

_'What am I a Unicorn?'_ Xiumin’s eyes twitched. He didn’t want to burst out his anger for people making it a big deal that he was not reading his books or anything and actually made an appearance in the ball. This was why he never did like attending such events.

Once he was reunited with Sohee and hooked arms, they went to one of the tables flanking by each end of the ballroom listening quietly to the announcer, name after name of visitors until the whole kingdom could fit the humungous ballroom. 

The ballroom dance floor was exploding with colors from both men and women twirling and laughing as they swayed into the music created by the orchestra by the balcony. Xiumin knew half of them and something inside him felt quite new seeing how fine and neat they all looked with their extravagant clothing. He swore he was tapping his foot and kept them hidden from Sohee who smiled at him with great interest.

The dancing however ceasd when the announcer far up the entrance called for their attention.

“May I present, Prince Lu Han of Kingdom M” the announcer gestured to the handsome young prince garbed in white that fitted his body frame beautifully, with silver stitches of instricate swirls creating a pattern of a design on the ends of his sleeves and epaulettes on his shoulders. His double rowe buttons glimmered from the candles’ lights, his hands were gloved with velvety violet matching the long flowing cape clapped on his back. His hair was curled to the left that highlighted his cheekbones and added a faint glimmer in his doe eyes.

“For the first dance, the Princess will be accompanied with our charming young Prince” the announcer added, never taking his eyes off from the Prince who overlooked the whole ballroom of men and women holding their breaths.

Luhan bowed in greeting and waved in the most aristo manner. He descended down the stairs, the whole room was silent and enamoured by his presence., meanwhile Jessica, clenched her fists hoping Jongdae would appear somewhere and whisk her away. 

“My lady” Luhan bent forward and took her hand kissing the top of her palm gently. Jessica swallowed hard, her eyes fixed onto Luhan’s doe eyes.

_'He’s handsome'_ she hates to admit it, but it didn’t make her feel less uneasy either.

Luhan pressed a gentle squeeze on her delicate hands and guided her to stop in the middle of the dance floor where the crowd gave way into a circle and watched as Luhan and Jessica’s hands intertwined. His other hand snaked it’s way to her waist that had her taking a sharp intake of air. She scanned his eyes, feeling the fluttering in her stomach dance and he just gave her a smile.The maestro played music and Jessica was gliding in the dance floor with Prince Luhan of Kingdom M.

“Wow, they look so beautiful together, don’t you think so too Min?” Sohee gasped, her eyes lining silver completely lured into watching the two on the dance floor.

“I’m just curious where the hell Jongdae is” he made excuses to avert his eyes from Jessica, too busy searching for any trouble or danger that could be arise if one of them didn't try to look out for the possibility of one.

_Light and Dark. Flames. Water. Circus. Shooting Light. Raven. Kyungsoo._

Those were the words that kept racing in his mind again and again. He searched for anything that arouse fire, anything that could cause flooding, a wild person for a circus? A Raven? Or whatever a Kyungsoo was.

His silent scouting however was taken when he heard gasps in the crowd. A familiar figure of the ashen hood they saw last night came into the scene, descending down the opposite side of the staircase from where Luhan walked down upon.

_Light and Dark?_ _Could it be really the Princes?_

“What are you doing?” Jessica’s trembling voice squeaked, still clueless to who this young man really is.

Luhan lets go of Jessica’s hand and smirked, “Well, you’ve finally shown yourself”

Concerned murmurs and whispers bounced off the walls of the ballroom. Everyone was oblivious to who this was, even the King was about to call out guards not until the hooded figure untied his cloak and threw it away revealing the young man Jessica and Xiumin met last night. He was garbed in all black similar to Luhan’s clothes with silver buttons running down his chest. He did not have a cape, but he did have blue fabric tied to his waist and draped behind his legs. His hair was not that messy raven hair anymore, in fact it was gelled up that only a strand made it to the front of his tanned handsome face.

“You-?” Jessica gasped, the same tone she had when the young prince came to them. She almost tripped on her heels when she retreated a step.

“It’s me” the young prince smiles widely, he returned the same smile from yesterday when she recreated her reaction. He then turned to Luhan, smirking as he nods in greeting. “Prince Luhan”

“Prince Jongin” Luhan responded all too casually as if these princes were _friends_  and that earned a couple of gasps in the room.

“So, the one who was doing the archery last night wasn’t-?” a woman cried. “But I got his autograph!”

Jessica’s mouth hung open, “You’re a prince?” her face immediately became red recalling all the shame she brought down the prince - and, to her embarrassment.  “Oh Ethereals boil me, I called you stupid and worthless and and-“

“She did what?” Luhan almost choked when bursts out laughing.

Jongin shook his head, “Don’t worry about it Princess. I think you’re right about that”

“But still I’m sorry” Jessica frowned. She was too ashamed to even look at him.

“Well, for him to be able to accept your apology, mind you take a dance together?” Luhan offered Jessica’s hand and let it settle on the other prince. Jongin checked Jessica for any violent reactions before he took it in which she received without protests.

“I’d be delighted” she presses his hands tighter.

_'So, the Princes of K and M are friends?'_ Xiumin blinked thrice before believing his eyes, ' _Then there’s no trouble there? If they are friends, then they wouldn’t wage war against each other. Maybe the gypsy was really wrong about her vision?'_

All the questions in his mind was left unanswered. As music filled his ears and the dancing resumed in the ballroom.

The dance between the two prince exchanging the princess with each turn attracted couples to dance along with them. The whole ballroom went into a massive flash mob. Everyone was laughing, turning, swaying. Sohee on occasions would be dragged to the dance floor, although pregnant, she still had her moves. Xiumin declined  _everyone,_ even the merchant’s daughter whom he would take glimpses on.

' _There was just something not right._ Something _in the air is not…right'_  Xiumin narrowed his eyes, analysing, thinking and calculating what can go wrong if he pays no attention into the small details. Even though he can’t see it, he can feel something was  _definitely wrong_.

Xiumin then wished he warned them hard enough about the gypsy’s vision for what happened next made him regret for ever coming to the ball.

 

 

 


	5. Chapter Four: The Light in the Dark

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

 

**It was the way** **the air rippled that told Xiumin something terrible was about to happen.**  
  
He searched every crook and cranny, watched every movement and every person’s expressions that to make sure he wouldn’t miss _anything,_ but what happened next was something he did not expect.

The candle lit chandeliers were flickering violently amongst the happy and peaceful dance floor. The glass windows slammed harshly shut startling everyone in the ballroom and halting them in place. Although there was no wind, all of the candles illuminating light from the fire were blown out simultaneously, leaving the ballroom pitch black and only the moon beams became their source of light to give them sight amidst the darkness.

Everyone in the dance floor murmured curses and whimpers, edging closer to each other, grabbing whoever was in range just to reassure themselves that they were not alone and that whatever was happening, was not their own hallucinations.

The King stood up from his throne and motioned his guards to bring Jessica back to them. Jongin and Luhan followed suit their squires came up bringing them their swords. Sohee remained in the middle of the ballroom along with the crowd compressing with one another. Xiumin, with terror striking through his heart, leapt on his feet and tried to look for his sister.

Could this be the warning the gypsy was talking about?

“What is going on?” one person wails, his voice coated with undeniable terror.

“What is happening?” another resounded the first.

Within moments, the ballroom succumbed into panicking voices that bounced off the walls. Xiumin tried to call out for Sohee, but his voice was being overpowered by almost forty people screaming and shouting.

“Silence!” the King's shout rumbles through the whole room and silence claimed everyone's mouth. The King raised his hand. “Nobody panic”

“Sire, are we under attack?” a man harked.

“It’s those Princes’” a woman pointed an accusing finger at Luhan and Jongin. “They must have something to do with this!”

“We would never!” Luhan growled and was ready to pull out his sword, luckily Jongin was there to stop him.

“Luhan, don’t” he snaps at Luhan who quickly reclined back with complete composure despite his hand that remained wrapped around the hilt of his sword. Jongin then turned to the crowd with complete control and calmness, “Believe us as we say, we don’t know what is going on and we assure you, we’re not part of  _any_ of it”

“Oh yeah? You sure about that?” came a familiar voice that had everyone cease to silence.

“Jongdae?” Jessica picked up the ends of her dress as the Captain of the Knights of Golden strode inside the ballroom clad in his golden armor alongside his trusted Knights. “Jongdae what is the meaning of this!?”

“Jongdae!” Xiumin climbed up on top of the chair he was sitting on and tip toed to find Jongdae march up in front of the platform to the royals who watched him with bewildered expressions. ' _This is not good_ Xiumin' swallowed hard, ' _Maybe this is what the gypsy was talking about. Light and Dark? Light for the golden plate armor of Kim Jongdae and Dark for Prince Jongin’s clothing?'._

Nobody diverted their attention from the Captain who held out his sword pointing it over to the Princes. Everyone held their breath, all waiting, anticipating and silent.

“Get away from the Princes Your Majesty!”

“Jongdae” Jessica ran behind Jongdae and clutched his golden plate armor in repressing him to go further.

“Jessica, you come back here this instant!” the Queen wails, confusion and fear obvious in her tone.

“What are you doing? Stop this nonsense!” Jessica kept tugging Jongdae, but he didn’t heed her attention.

Luhan, even though received a hostile glare from Jongin, unsheathes his sword and he trudged forward, his eyes burning with challenge. It worked however, it riled up Jongdae who wrenched himself off from Jessica’s grasp, stomping on his metallic boots closer to Luhan until the tip of their blades touched.

“Luhan” Jongin warns with a low growl.

“Jongdae explain yourself” the King demanded, holding his ground.

“There is danger amidst us Your Highness!” Jongdae announces and twirls around to meet the eyes of the people.

“I am no danger to any of you Captain” Luhan spat. The Prince and the Captain circled each other in the rule of combat with intense eyes interlocked. “What ridicule is this?”

Jongdae remained silent, unable to speak. There was no evidence, only a warning he received from Xiumin and the gypsy, but he remained quiet, waiting for the prince to blunder up and spoil a possible hidden agenda.

Xiumin, who senses a disaster the more they prolong this silent staring contest, jumped down from the chair he was standing on and ran to the middle of the room.

“Jongdae” he called out catching the attention of the Captain who twirled on his heel to lock gazes with him.

“Who is this?” the King’s eyes narrowed at the sight of Xiumin - no, a commoner walking up to the Captain.

Xiumin nodded at Jongdae who returned his cautious gaze at Prince Luhan, and he who followed Xiumin’s figure. Jongin said nothing as the baker approached Jessica who detached herself from her father and stopped in front of him.

The King, demanded answers. “Who is this? Jessica who is this man?”

“He is Kim Xiumin, the local baker. He is my  _best friend_ ” Jessica said proudly and smiled at Xiumin who held back a scolding, but the baker couldn’t help but get flustered that the Princess could be so blunt about it without worrying about the now wary glances she received.

Xiumin, sensing the King’s disapproving look, took the matter in his hands. He turned to the kingdom’s people to stare in each and everyone’s eyes - also, searching for Sohee in the process- and spoke loud and clear enough for the whole room to hear.

“I bring word, a vision. From the Gypsy” when Xiumin uttered those words, the whole room broke into mocking laughter, sneering and hushed whispers. It went on, and on and no matter how Xiumin tried to speak up, nobody dared listen to him.

Seeing that her best friend was getting butchered by the villagers' mockery, Jessica couldn't hold her own anger any longer by screaming, "Shut up!" and instantly, to Xiumin’s relief everyone ceased to silence. Everyone was completely dumbfounded and all Xiumin could do was give her a smirk of gratitude. 

“The Gypsy predicted three days ago, that there would be a shooting star and we all have seen it last night streaking in the sky. She also said that there will be danger that will take place,  _here_  in the ballroom-“ Xiumin was cut off when a farmer spoke up in protest.

“How can we believe you? You must be an accomplice with the two Princes! How do we know you’re not making this up?”

“Because I won’t be standing here right now if it wasn’t true!” Xiumin responded with clenched fists.

“Then why didn’t you warn us before if there’s danger?”

“Because I wasn’t sure if it’s true!”

“And you don’t believe in what the gypsy told you! How are we supposed to believe you now?”

“I tell you there’s-“

The whole room went in another uproar. Nobody held back their questions and objections and all Xiumin could do was watch and sigh to himself, trying his best to answer all of them calmly. There were insults thrown, menacing glances and snarls that throbbed in Xiumin’s aching head.

Not taking it anymore, Xiumin screamed. “Kyungsoo!”

And that alone had the whole room into a complete standstill.  _Do they know Kyungsoo?_ Xiumin had a curl on the edge of his lips. Maybe the townsfolk know who this Kyungsoo is.

“A Kyung-what?” everyone said in unison.

_Guess not._

As if in cue, the whole room grew darker, the ground shook and trembled beneath their feet as the floor cackled and cracked. The people in the middle of the dance floor separated upon noticing the earth slowly giving way into an opening where bright crimson lights escaped and shimmered.  A ghastly cloud that seeped through and enveloping the whole room, shrouding the eyes of the people like smoke screen, preventing them to see what was coming out from the depths of hell.

Xiumin squints his eyes, using only his arms to block out the smoke trying to see what was happening in the middle of the ballroom, but not even that helped in giving him even a wink of what possible horrors and monstrosity was coming out of there. Not long after, a faint silhouette of a large demonic figure was visible that had fear crawl all over him. The cloud gave way to the figure who stepped out of the smoke that had everyone’s jaws dropping onto the cracked tile floors.

If only he didn’t come out of the ground, people might’ve found him to be _human_. He was a handsome young man all garbed in ash and volcanic tuft robes, his blood ruby hair was pulled up into a spike with only two to three thick strands hanging in front of his matching bloodlust eyes. He had a maniacal smirk twisted, swinging the long sanguine staff with a red rose at the end encased in a glass orb in his hands. His metallic boots clinked with each step causing the tiles to break into two. This man, this _creature,_ whoever he was, moved in pure immortal grace.

Nobody dared breathing when he passed. They were all either terrified or completely enthralled at the sight of him. He sauntered, leaving trails of incense behind him and made his way to the front where Xiumin stood, just a few feet away with an astonished look. Xiumin had never seen anything like him. Instead of getting scared, he found this creature fascinating.

The young man noticed Xiumin’s unwavering stare and smirked. “You called?” he circled the unmoving baker.

“Wh-who are you?” Jessica murmured in fear.

The new comer cocked a brow up at Xiumin expecting that he could answer the Princess’ question. Xiumin made a double-take before understanding his message. A cat, strangled his throat. 

“Kyungsoo?”

“Ding-ding! We have a winner! Give this guy a round of applause!” he laughed manically and to everyone’s surprise, when he kicked his feet, Kyungsoo tore away from the ground and glided all the way to the King and the Princess who cowered beneath him.

Jongdae and the two Princes had their swords at the ready if this Kyungsoo were ever going to do something unforgivable. Xiumin picked up any able rock to throw at Kyungsoo as well just in case.

“I’m not late for the party am I? I don’t want to miss this wonderful event. To crown the next King” Kyungsoo licked his lips, letting a finger glide and trace Jessica’s jawline that caused her to shiver in his touch, “I know a story like that once. It pained me to remember”

“You’re an Ethereal aren’t you?” Xiumin sounded way too excited that alarmed everyone and began to give him questioning looks.

Kyungsoo, with interest picking up on the corner of his ears, flew over to Xiumin with quick immortal agility. “Why, yes I am” he chuckled darkly, those bottomless dark eyes glistening. “I never knew a mortal could remember us”

“Are you an Ethereal of fire?” Xiumin unknowingly was stepping closer to Kyungsoo, completely hypnotized by his fascination.

“No, but you’re getting  _warmer_  – no pun intended”

“A guardian of the Volcano perhaps?”

“No, but you’re  _hotter_ ” he glided over the top of their heads all over the ballroom and flew up to sit on the edge of the largest chandelier. He crossed his legs and whisked a cigar from his fingertips, lighting it with the sanguine rose staff that illuminated a haunting crimson glow.

“Lord of the Fires, Champion of the Volcano or not, what are you doing here creature?” Jongdae motioned for his men to surround the King, Queen and the Princess for protection.

“Lord I am, creature I may be, but a Champion?” he snickered and disappeared into thin air, ripping people's hearts out in sheer nervousness and fear.

All the eyes in the ballroom searched, fearfully and anticipating where the mysterious  _ethereal_  would pop out next. A whirl of clouds rushed on the left, a few candle sticks popped on the right and windows shattering above caused a massive panic as everyone in the room ran up the stairs for escape, only to be frozen in their spots when Kyungsoo appeared out of nowhere, sitting on his throne of clouds with the sanguine rose staff illuminating in his touch.

“What’s the matter? Party over?” he brushed his fingertips on the crystal of the rose, shaking his head as he clicked his tongue in disappointment. “But I just got here”

Jongdae signals for his guards to take the King’s family and the two princes to safety while he and his men remain to fight off this unexpected visitor - if it ever came to that point. Jessica yanked Sohee away, heeding to Xiumin’s silent plead and ran with the knights until-

Shots of lightning bolts exploded in front of the Knights’ feet and a fire wall was set ablaze, covering the only escape route the royal family could run to. Jessica and Sohee’s eyes bulged in fear as Kyungsoo hovered once more in the middle of the ballroom with his hands spread out in horrifying splendour.

“My dear royalties, where do you think you’re going? You can’t just leave your guest like that” he held an index finger up, wagging it with mockery as he clicked his tongue. “Tsk, tsk, tsk”

“What do you want?” Jessica yelled and was abruptly pulled back to stand behind the Knights with her father clasping a hand to cover her mouth.

As if Jessica gave the right answer to Kyungsoo’s long wait, he threw his head back and laughed loud, a chilling, unearthly laugh ran chills down everyone's spines before he dissolved in thin air and only the traces of black swirls trailed that could tell where he was going. 

“Boo!” he appeared behind Jessica and Sohee causing everyone to jump on their feet and earning an amused chortle from Kyungsoo. He twisted his body to lie in the nothingness, with his head hanging and his hair loose. Jongdae and the Princes ran in front of the two women serving as a shield. Kyungsoo inhaled deeply and closed his eyes, knowing that no matter what they do, they were outmatched.

“Why do you torment us? What do you want!?” the King although frightened, took a step displaying a little courage for the morale of his people.

“What I want…” Kyungsoo vanishes and reappeared in front of the King battering his eyelashes, tracing lines on the cloth of the King’s tunic, up to his chest, his neck, across his nose until it landed on the King’s crown where with one flick of a finger, he sent it rolling on the ground.

The King staggered and fell on his bum once the burning sensation began to tingle on his head. A bald spot was created that had Kyungsoo doubling over in tremendous laughter – a terrifying laughter that sent everyone reeling.

“Bring me some champagne, two of them if you please” Kyungsoo plops himself comfortably on the King’s throne, dusting the seat and crossed his legs, as if he was the one who owned the Castle. The King could so nothing but hold his breath.

“Why two?” came an honest question from Xiumin edging closer to Jongdae who was repressing himself to do anything that could provoke Kyungsoo.

“You’ll see” Kyungsoo placed a knuckle under his chin, waving a hand to dismiss the wobbling servant beside him.

A beat of a second later, there was a new gust of wind that whirled inside the ballroom. With one swipe, all the candles were lit, blinding everyone’s eyes for a moment before the smoke was replaced with the scent of roses that soothed their beating hearts from nervousness. A calm and reassuring air circled each and everyone kissing them in clandestine a cold breeze as if a healer had rained upon them a prayer. Nobody knows what was happening, but they could tell that whatever was coming will not bring them peace.

Kyungsoo with a wide smile stood up from his seat and spread his arms out wide for an embrace. “Welcome, welcome!"

Everyone immediately turned their heads to where Kyungsoo’s feral eyes were directed, wondering who he was talking to. There was nobody on top of the stairs, no figure, not even a mosquito that could say there was anyone – or so they all thought. In a blink of an eye, a loud thundering thud from the throne had them to snap their attention away from the staircase and what beheld them almost had everyone fainting.

In came a man with the wind in his golden hair and the storm in his eyes, his smooth white skin – too fair to ever be possessed by mortals – glowed amongst the dim lit candles in his glittering silver coat and silk cape strapped on his shoulders levitating along with him.

The man in white strangled Kyungsoo, gripping his neck with brute immortal force, crushing him to sink down the throne. Nobody knew what to do. Would they be relieved that this man in white was doing this to Kyungsoo? Could he be worse than Kyungsoo? All they had to do now, was wait.

“Welcome, old friend” Kyungsoo managed to say as he choked.

“ _Old friend_ , how could you call me that after what you did-” the man snarls as he tightened his grip into a bone crushing brutality on Kyungsoo’s neck causing the latter to gasp for air.

Kyungsoo raised his hands and said in between chokes, “I can make it up to you. A token of my apology”

“You’re two thousand years late”

The man in white jerked his hands off from Kyungsoo’s neck and shoved him aside. Kyungsoo immediately disappeared in smoke before he could make contact on the cold stone floor and reappeared beside the man in white, slinging an arm across his shoulders.

“Is that how you treat your best friend, Yixing?” Kyungsoo murmured in his neck, his warm breath took no reaction from the man in white.

Yixing’s eyes twitched when he came to look at Xiumin, a strange line of expression crossed his face. An unreadable one – an expression that had Xiumin tilt his head to further analyse why Yixing was looking at him.

_“Xiumin”_

A strange yet soothing voice rang in Xiumin’s head. He didn’t move in order to avoid any distraction from Kyungsoo who went on and on about how he came here. Instead, Xiumin peered into Yixing’s eyes, associating the mysterious voice coming from him.

_“You’ve gotten the Gypsy’s message I see”_

_“So, it **is** from you” _Xiumin kept a blank face.

_“Yes”_

_“So the gypsy…”_

_“I’ve sent her the vision about our coming. I feared that one day a star might fall again. I’m glad you got her vision”_ Yixing prodded with Kyungsoo who kept on blabbering about himself.  _“Xiumin”_

_“Yes?”_

_“I want you to get out of here and find the star before Kyungsoo does”_

Xiumin froze,  _“M-me?”_

_“Go, now before-”_

Their communication was cut-off when Kyungsoo teleported beside Jessica and hoisted her up in the air. Jongdae, Luhan and Jongin, with leaping hearts all charged at Jessica as the crowd screamed in terror. Sohee took up all her strength and grabbed Jessica’s leg, never letting her go. Xiumin broke off from Yixing’s gaze and ran after Sohee, getting ready to catch her if ever she lets go of Jessica’s leg.

“Kyungsoo! Put her down!” Yixing threatened, teleporting beside Kyungsoo pointing his similar loking staff – the only difference was, his staff was made of transparent glass and his rose was bleached in white.

“I will not!” Kyungsoo lets out a loud growl, the shockwaves of his voice had the air whipping the candles out. He pointed his sanguine rose over to Yixing, a warning for him to stay away.

Yixing however, met his challenging stare and held his ground only provoking Kyungsoo into casting a spell that within moments, a blast of crystal surrounded Jessica and Sohee slowly encasing them into a glass case.

Xiumin’s heart dropped and a scream of horror ripped through him seeing the two women pounding the glass, trying to break free from Kyungsoo’s spell. He ran after the Princes and the Captain as they barked orders and plans while trying to retain themselves from being disoriented.

Kyungsoo rolls his eyes, his ears turning a bright red as the humans gave him another reason to lose himself. With one twist of his wrist, Kyungsoo whispered to him an incantation only he and Yixing could understand and shot a spell at Jongdae who, within seconds, had the color from his skin drained out.

The Captain of the Knights’ eyes bulged in terror as he hopelessly tried to shake his frozen leg. The world around Jongdae’s eyes grew dark, his vision was being devoured by darkness. He struggled, jerking his body left to right until the spell had taken over his legs, his torso and everything, _everything_ just blacked out and Jongdae’s whole body stopped moving. Jongdae stood still, lifeless.

Jongdae turned into stone.

The Princes and the baker could do nothing stare in horror. For a second, Jongdae was there with them moving and talking and now, he was just a statue with a face contorted into an agonizing scream. Jessica couldn’t bear to watch and had her face buried into Sohee’s neck even before she could see the fate of Jongdae. The Knights who were furious ran to charge at Kyungsoo, but with one swipe in the air, they were thrown to the wall.

Outraged, the air crackled around and everyone could feel the growing electrostatic current from Yixing’s body. He conjured lightning in his hands and attacked Kyungsoo, but the latter had been waiting for it. He deflected it with a ward and the lightning bolts all scattered around the ballroom, causing candlesticks to explode and drip on people’s clothes and dresses.

“Just like old times, eh  _old friend_?” Kyungsoo smirks, his eyes of blazing fire glowing with amusement and kept the ward up for protection.

“Let the Princess and the woman go,  _sorcerer_ ” Yixing snarls as he made sure to emphasize on the last word.

“Wow, you really have to rub my new title in my face don’t you?” Kyungsoo winces with a chuckle.

“A title that suits you rather than your old one. You didn’t deserve that title”

“Yes, Lord of the Underworld. Why wouldn’t that suit me?” Kyungsoo bobbed his head to the side with a lazy grin.

Upon mentioning the title, everyone trembled more in fear doubling-over. Tenfold if it must.

Xiumin didn’t know whether to be happy or not. He was in the presence of the Lord of the Underworld and perhaps, this  _Yixing_ is the Lord of the Heavens. They must be  _Life_ and  _Death_ themselves. Only…Death was now a sorcerer, stripped off from his real title. Now _that_ was something worth finding out about.

_‘Wait a second…Light and Dark!’_ Xiumin had it now, and Yixing must’ve read his thoughts for he grunted in approval that only Xiumin could hear in his mind.

“Is this revenge for what happened two thousand years ago?” Yixing pinches his eyes. “Because it was  _your_ fault. Not mine. You broke the vow and the rule of the wager,”

“That is why I want to renew the agreement we had before” Kyungsoo flicked the ward away and held out his hand for Yixing to reach, “Let’s play a game shall we?”

Yixing stared at Kyungsoo’s hand for a long time, checking to see if there were any traps or spells he was going to conjure against him. He analysed his eyes, his lips and his body posture before he spoke.

“Same wager?” Yixing kept his voice hard and his eyes pinning Kyungsoo with a death sentence.

Kyungsoo almost laughed. “Same wager”

Intensity burned in their ancient powerful eyes. The raw and immense immortal power had the thick air around the ballroom jittery, invisible electricity crawled all over everyone’s hair raised skins as the whole room began to experience a tornado like whirlwind circling beneath the two Ethereals’ feet.

With the wind intensifying, Kyungsoo and Yixing both descended along with Jessica and Sohee’s ball onto the ground until their feet could touch the floor flat and the wind exploded beneath to shoot their hairs up on the contact. Beneath them, two hexagons of silver and blood ruby appeared, circling the two Ethereals.

The two beings tore their calloused hands from each other, hoisting their staves up and interlocking the glass encased roses to emit a luminous green glow that slowly enveloped the two of them.

“From the Ancient Tongue of the Ethereals, we have come to summon spirits to witness” Yixing chanted and out from their roses, spiralled out three balls of light.

_‘This is really happening is it?’_ Xiumin was too overwhelmed. He had read about ancient vows amongst heroes and mystical creatures, but never in his life would he come across to see one. He knew what those three balls of light were, they were _witnesses,_ one of the first beings to ever exist in the universe – older than Life and Death themselves if he remembered correctly – and practically invincible.

The three ball of lights all startled the crowd when they began to speak – well, given that there were two flying beings in front of them, it wasn’t an abnormal sight anymore. They couldn’t decipher what the three ball of lights were saying. Fortunately, Kyungsoo was there replying in the common tongue.

“We are now, to choose our Champions!” Kyungsoo spins around with a charming smile curled on his menacing lips.

They tore apart their staves and levitated off from the floor. Kyungsoo’s eyes roamed around the room in search for his champion, unlike Yixing who closed his eyes to drift into a trance.

Xiumin didn’t care who the champions were going to be, he was more focused on how to bring Jongdae back and how to rescue his sister and the Princess.

“Aha!” Kyungsoo flies towards Luhan whose eyes grew wide in shock, “ _You!_ ”

Despite feeling his heart leap to his throat, Luhan kept a blank stare, showing no signs of fear as he stood head on with the creature in front of him.

“Y _ou_. You seem like a strong, handsome and dependable young Prince” Kyungsoo hovered to him, “You will be  _perfect_ ”

Luhan almost choked. “I am strong, handsome and dependable but I think I’ll have to refuse”

“Snarky” Kyungsoo snickers, “I like this one”

“Don’t flatter me. As I said, I refuse”

“Why not? I can give you a reward” Kyungsoo closed his fists and once he opened it, a flame kindled and erupted from his flat palms. Nobody knew what Luhan could see in that ball of fire, but they could tell Kyungsoo had him right where he wanted him. “You can have all of this, if you go for me”

Luhan’s bright brown eyes flickered amber from the flames. Luhan was starting to feel dizzy, as if something from the shadows inside of him was luring him away from reality. His vision was going hazy, his lips went dry.

“Luhan!” Jongin exclaimed in fear the Prince of Kingdom M was being seduced by the flames, but was silenced when Kyungsoo hissed at him.

It took a long while before Kyungsoo shut his palms and let Luhan hang his head like he was nothing but a dead weight. He whispers something in Luhan’s ear and the latter trailed behind Kyungsoo like a pet and held out his sword pointing it over to one of the ball of lights.

“I will be your Champion, Kyungsoo!” in the most monotonous voice Jongin has ever heard from Luhan, the young prince of Kingdom M declared his allegiance with the monster named Kyungsoo.

Jongin held back the anger boiling in his heart. He wanted to scratch Kyungsoo’s eyes out for whatever it was he had done to hypnotize the prince.

“Excellent” Kyungsoo returned his place beside Yixing whose eyes were still closed. He impatiently folds his feet under him and sings, “I’ve picked mine old friend. Hurry it up now”

Xiumin was frantic, he didn’t know what to make of Luhan. He just vowed to become that creature’s champion. This was not going to bode well and Yixing wasn’t picking any champions for himself either.

It was Jongin who walked up to stand beside Luhan and held out his sword, repeating the same actions Luhan had done and casted the tip of his sword onto a ball of light and without any words, Yixing landed beside him and fluttered silver eyes open.

The balls of light flickered and grew bright as if they have accepted the oath each champion laid before them. The two ethereal then began reciting in the ancient tongue and later were translated it to the commons.

“In two weeks time, our champions must travel all over the kingdoms and retrieve what will be rightfully ours” Kyungsoo chants with rhythm harmonizing with Yixing’s own.

“This will be the only way to determine who will rightfully sit in the Heavens and of the underworld” Yixing’s soft voice overpowers Kyungsoo’s roughness.

“Also, to determine who will be wed to the Princess of Kingdom L!”

Jessica shook her head in negation and pounded her fists again and again on the ball that muffled her disapproving screams.

“If our champions fail,” Yixing murmured grimly.

“May the judgement day help you all” Kyungsoo however, smirks in the most horrifying possible way one could describe.

“Retrieve the Star!” they chanted together, their voices reaching up to the heavens. The surging white light from the staves sent shocking waves of electricity slamming into each and everyone’s mortal bodies, giving them a glimpse of the raw supernatural power binding in this wager.

“This is our wager!” the two Ethereals roared and the three balls of light flashed bright blinding light and exploded into thin air as if it accepted the wager, followed by a loud thunderclap that shattered all the glass windows and chandeliers on top of their heads.

“Let the games begin…”

The light soon after died and all was left was darkness and complete silence. The cold breeze crept inside and sent chills in everyone’s skins. Nobody was screaming and horrified anymore, they were all confused on what was happening that they mistook this as a dream.

Luhan and Jongin faced each other with grim faces before turning to Kyungsoo and Yixing.

“Just like old times. Kingdom K and Kingdom M’s princes again” Yixing murmurs too softly as if he didn’t even want to see what was laid before him.

“Yes…” Kyungsoo nods slowly. “Only this time…I won’t cheat”

Yixing locked his gaze at Kyungsoo suspiciously.

“I will  _win_ ” he growled and with his speed – too fast that only an immortal could achieve, withdrew a dagger and shattered the ball encasing Jessica and Sohee and just before the women could come in contact with the floor, Kyungsoo extended his hands to stop them in mid-air.

“What are you doing!?” Yixing withdraws his staff, the disbelief and anger visible in his eyes.

Kyungsoo battered his eyelashes and smirked. “Making my own rules”

In a blink, Kyungsoo threw Yixing off balance with a powerful gust of wind and sent him flying to hit the marble walls. The King and the Queen evaded the falling bricks but they couldn’t evade Kyungsoo’s conjurations that turned them into stone. The whole ballroom on another massive panic. One by one, all of them turned to stone at Kyungsoo’s own pleasure.

Yixing leaped to his feet and lunged at Kyungsoo knocking him away with a swipe of his staff, but the latter regained his balance and spun around to charge head on with Yixing, his cackles ripping the air.

“We must help Yixing” Xiumin nods at Jongin who, even without commanding him to do so, was already on his way to attack.

“Luhan, let’s go!” Jongin braced a calloused hand over Luhan’s forearms. “Luhan let’s-“ Jongin wanted to vomit when he met Luhan’s eyes.

The Prince’s were blank – and he swore those eyes were once brown and not – grey. Kyungsoo must’ve casted a spell on him for he was unmoving. Whatever push or pull they did, Luhan was just a mindless zombie in their presence.

“Leave him!” Xiumin wrenches Jongin away and the latter could do nothing but look away and ignored the rage coating his heart.

A firewall set ablaze in front of them even before they could set a close distance to Jessica and Sohee. Xiumin cursed as he watched his pregnant sister and the princess get thrown everywhere inside the newly conjured trap. They have to move fast for Yixing wasn’t holding up easily as hopeless seconds pass by.

Kyungsoo was merciless, just like he has always been. He merely smiled in glorious splendour at the destruction he rained upon them. He twisted his hands, snapping his fingers thrice as a triangular object, smothered in gold and glass appeared on top of his flat palms.

Yixing couldn’t breathe. His eyes bulged out of his sockets, clinging to the wall while Kyungsoo approached him with the newly conjured object in his hands.

“You know what this is, right Xing-xing?” Kyungsoo licks his fangs, chuckling darkly at the way Yixing was retreating his steps.

“Kyungsoo, the wager”

“Xing-xing, the wager is about retrieving the fallen star. It didn’t say I couldn’t encase you in a prism right?” he snickered. “Besides, our champions have two weeks. You don’t really have to be around physically”

There was a low chanting escaping from Kyungsoo’s lips that had Yixing’s bones stiffening and immovable. Even as Yixing tried to chant a spell to break free from this paralysis, he couldn’t.

Yixing held his breath as a new realization hit him. “Kyungsoo how did you-?“

“Get strong like this?” he scrunched his nose and licked his fangs. “Two thousand years of waiting, two thousand years of conserving my energy, two thousand years of planning, it has finally come to this!”

A flick of his staff and the ball carrying Jessica and Sohee broke suspending them in the air. Jessica and Sohee trembled when Kyungsoo pointed his fingers at them and directed them to the front where the remaining audiences watched their Princess and Sohee be settled onto the floor.

“Ladies and Gentlemen!” Kyungsoo spreads his arms out, his face glowing bright with triumph.

“Kyungsoo” Yixing grates his teeth, struggling to break free from the invisible restraints Kyungsoo had imposed on him.

Xiumin and Jongin raced to reach Kyungsoo, but a force field hindered them from getting close to him any further. No matter how much they pounded the invisible barrier, they just couldn’t push through.

“I give the champions two weeks to reverse the spell!” Kyungsoo roars to the heavens, his sanguine staff shooting bolts into a frenzy.

“Kyungsoo no!”

Everyone fell silent. The whole world stopped when the Princess turned grey and unmoving – Princess Jessica and Sohee turned to stone. The Queen fainted, the King wailed in complete utter frustration and mortal helplessness. Jongin was left as white as a sheet, staring up at the fate of the two women they could’ve saved – _he_ should’ve saved.

Xiumin on the other hand, became numb. He couldn’t feel anything, staring into the hollow eyes of the statues of Jessica and Sohee. There was nothing in the world that could describe the heart break he felt. He blamed himself. Blamed himself for not warning them, not being able to prevent this tragedy. Blamed himself why he hadn’t killed Kyungsoo in the first place instead of being fascinated with his appearance.

Rage, a pure anguish feeling crawled in his skin, into his cheeks as he beheld Kyungsoo. Rage pushed him to take Jongin’s sword from his grasp and began pounding the invisible barrier. He slurred curses that Kyungsoo thought to be amusing that he didn’t much care whether the young baker means to run a sword through his cold heart.

Triumph tittered across Kyungsoo’s face as he turned around to face the paralyzed Yixing. The prism in Kyungsoo’s hands levitated and opened, paving way to a prison to lock Yixing inside of it in his reign.

 “Goodbye old friend” Kyungsoo’s blood ruby eyes gave one haunting glow before - _Crack!_

A smashing sound caught the attention of Kyungsoo who whipped his head to see Xiumin charging towards him. The barrier surrounding them had cracks that branched out into webs until it shattered and crystals hailed from above their heads.

Yixing was astounded to see it was possible for Xiumin to break through the barrier. A mere mortal couldn’t possibly- unless!

“Dragon Steel?” Kyungsoo, in his quick reflexes casted a ward up to protect himself.

_“Xiumin don’t! You’ll die!”_ Yixing screamed in Xiumin’s mind, but he ignored it.

Jongin raced to reach Xiumin and pull him back as he saw Kyungsoo reach a dagger from his boots and in a blink of an eye, everything exploded after Yixing threw a ninja star over Kyungsoo’s ward. Xiumin and Jongin were thrown violently back.

Xiumin’s eyes went into a blur, and the last thing he saw was a white light, a sword in his hand and...

_“A Raven?”_

 

 

**Black-out.**

 

 

✰ ✰ ✰ 

 

 

Far across the country, a pair of eyes abruptly fluttered open.

The sound of an explosion had caused his ears to pry up in his wake.

He wasn’t even sure when he had been unconscious, he wasn’t sure if it were possible that he’d be staring back into the vast night sky. He could have sworn he was watching a frog turn into a prince the other night, but right now? He doesn’t know what was happening.

A stinging pain cracked the nape of his neck as he tried to sit up – wait, a neck?

He narrowed his eyes, trying to re-focus and process where he was. To his astonishment, he had two hands, ten fingers, two legs and feet. He shook his head and found glitters falling off from them. He looked around his surroundings and found himself inside a large crater.

A crater, created by none other than himself.

“Oh no…”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> So, let the adventure begin! :D  
> Comments are loved ~ I love reading your thoughts <3


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